The New Exiles
by Agent-G
Summary: The Exiles lives are changed forever, but now for the better and with a new mission in life and a new mentor looking out for them but also with new evils on the rise. [COMPLETE]
1. New Begining

**The New Exiles**

**By  
The Uncanny R-Man  
And  
Agent-G**

**Disclaimer: We don't own anything except any of our OCs, everything else is owned by either Marvel, or other companies.**

**Author's Note: This is a rewrite of the original fic we started with a few changes. We felt the story could have been done better and now we have a few changes some of you might like. Please R&R and tell us what you think, especially of the changes and if you're wondering the original story was taken off the site.**

* * *

**Chapter 1: A New Beginning**

The place- nowhere. The time, no time at all. All that we see for an infinite distance in any direction is a vast desert. A portal appears in the air and several figures tumble out. They are the Exiles.

A woman wearing a green battle dress with pinkish skin and slightly different short hair and pointed elf like ears, with triangular marks on her face and solid green eyes was Blink, aka Clarice Ferguson. She was the team's teleporter and also their leader.

Mimic, aka Calvin Rankin, had the ability to mimic the powers of others he is also the token broody guy. He had short-cropped blonde hair and a little goatee.

Morph was the shapeshifting comic relief. He was pre white and didn't have many facial features apart from his eyes and mouth. His uniform was yellow and blue with a billowing cape.

Sasquatch, aka Dr Heather Hudson, was the token fuzzy powerhouse of the group as she had the ability to chance from her beautiful African-American human form to a giant white furred Sasquatch form.

Namora, an alternate version of one world's Sub-Mariner was the ruler of Atlantis with the attitude problem to match, as she never wanted to join up with the Exiles in the first place. She had blue skin and she wore a green bikini.

The last member was Beak a boy from Xavier's school with a bird like face, with the ruined helmet of a mutant that once believed was named Xorn over his head carrying a baseball bat. Uhhh... We're not so sure what he does.  
  
Morph was the first to speak. "Oh great!" He groaned as he got up of his feet. "Another &$£ desert! Okay then Timebroker, show yourself."  
  
"Uh, Morph." Heather said, switching to her regular form of an attractive black woman. "Are you sure that it's wise to piss him off?"  
  
"Like I care whether I piss him off or not. "I'm fed up of losing my friends on these freaking missions!" He cried out in anguish. He had seen too many of his friends die on these things and he had had enough.  
  
Mimic winced as he guessed one of the reasons for Morph's rants. Morph had been riding his back ever since their visit to the reality where they first met the Fantastic 4 and they lost Sunfire. She suffocated under a toppled building trying to rescue civilians when Mimic, under the control of the Brood embryo that was implanted in his body, went on a rampage. The embryo was destroyed but that doesn't take away the fact that they lost one of their own.

"I'm afraid he's not here." Came an unfamiliar voice. They turned to see someone coming over to them.  
  
The figure that approached them wasn't that of the slightly balding, rotund Timebroker. This figure was quite tall, had light brown hair and was wearing a long black leather coat, even in the sweltering weather yet he didn't seem effected by the heat. He also had a rather large sword strapped to his back and inside the coat they saw a strange brown leather traveling bag, it was covered in strange runes and the strap was across his chest.  
  
"Hey, you're not the Timebroker!" Beak said in admiration. "You look kinda cool."  
  
"Greetings." The figure said in a pleasant voice and calm manner. "You may call me Guardian. I have summoned you here to tell you things you really need to know."  
  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" A familiar voice said behind them. "Just one second! What are you doing with my team buddy?" The Exiles turned around and saw the Timebroker standing there looking rather pissed. The Timebroker was the one that created the Exiles by taking the first team from other realities mostly against their will and forced them to team up to repair damages in the mulitverse.  
  
"Okay, I'm confused." Blink said. "What the hell is going on here?"  
  
The Guardian was the first to talk. "The Timebroker has been lying to you from the start." He said matter-of-factly. "Instead of repairing the tears in reality, you have been making them worse!" He added, glaring at the Timebroker in disgust.  
  
"I knew it!" Mimic said angrily and started to take a few steps towards the man. "You're screwing with us old man! You have been all along! I, for one, am sick of it! Is everybody with me?"  
  
The other Exiles cheered their assent.  
  
"Poppycock!" The Timebroker snorted. "This shallow imitation is the liar!"  
  
"Enough of this!" Namora yelled, grabbing the Timebroker by the collar. "I do not care who is being truthful. The sooner we fix this stupid little difference opinion, the sooner we can go on another mission and the sooner I can get home to Blessed Atlanti..."  
  
Namora was cut of as the Timebroker blasted her with an energy blast, knocking her to the ground.  
  
"You monster!" Blink hissed, conjuring up a few teleportation lances. "You killed her!"  
  
"Oh like you cared!" The Timebroker replied. "It's not like any of you had feelings for her!"  
  
The Exiles turned around as they heard a weak groan. Namora wasn't dead, that much was evident as she shakily got up on her feet. "You shall pay for this transgression!" She hissed. She leapt at the Timebroker with a fierce yell but found herself stopped in mid air by Guardian, as was evident by his outstretched hand. He lowered her to the ground gently.  
  
"No." He said in an even yet stern voice. "You must not get involved. I am already here to dispose of this impostor and I shall do it alone! Besides you're no match for him."  
  
"That's what you think buddy!" The Timebroker snarled. The Guardian turned around to attack but he was too late, the Timebroker blasted him with a ball of energy. Smoke and sand filled the area he was standing in from the explosive force of the attack. "Well that was quicker than I expected." He sniffed. "Then again, he was a cheap imitation!"  
  
"I wouldn't say that Shorty!" Morph replied with a grin on his face. "Look!"  
  
The Timebroker spun around and saw the form of the Guardian standing there as the smoke and sand settle with a very pissed off expression on his face and also without a scratch on him. He blasted him again with an energy blast. This time it was juts as useless as before as Guardian just shrugged the blasts off.  
  
"I will only ask you one more time Timebroker." He said with a grim and serious face. "Come peacefully or I will have to take drastic measures, and believe me you won't like it." He added coldly.  
  
The Timebroker answered the request by plunging his hand into his pocket and taking out a gun. He shot the Guardian in the head. The Guardian head turned from the impact and then he just looks back at the Timebroker with an unimpressed expression on his face as the small wound which was really more then a scratch healed itself.  
  
"Do you now how much something like that stings? Besides do you really think that a simple weapon like that could hurt me for long if at all?" He asked.  
  
The Timebroker rummaged around again and took out a knife. He tried to stab the Guardian but the blade snapped against his skin.  
  
"I suppose that there is no other option." He sighed. "I am truly sorry."  
  
The Guardian put his hand under the folds of his coat and removed something from a pouch at his side. It was a magical rune stone. He threw it at the feet of the Timebroker and there was a burst of blinding light. When the Exiles had regained their sight, they saw that the Timebroker had gone.  
  
"W-what did you do?" Blink asked slightly weary of this man after seeing his power.  
  
"The guy just disappeared!" Heather added. "Weird."  
  
The Guardian knelt down and picks up the rune stone.  
  
"I have taken him to a place where he will no longer cause trouble." He told them. To prove his words, he showed them the rune stone. Whereas the rune stone was once blank, it now had the features of the Timebroker etched onto it.  
  
"Is that it?" Beak asked. "What're we gonna do now?"  
  
"I am going to give you something the Timebroker never gave you." The Guardian told them. "I am offering you a choice. You may continue saving realities or you may return home. The choice is yours."  
  
A murmur fell across the gathered Exiles as they debated the decision.  
  
"Well I for one wish to leave." Namora said. "I have an empire to rule."  
  
"I wanna go too." Beak replied. "I've got a girl and kids to look after."  
  
"Me too." Mimic added. Blink stared at her boyfriend in amazement.  
  
"Cal, how can you say such a thing?" She asked, him not believing his words.  
  
"I'm sorry Clarice." Mimic sighed as he held her close. "I'm fed up of being somebody's pawn." He had already just learned like the others they had been used and during the Brood disaster when he had been taken over he had done things he would regret for the rest of his life. "I just want to go home. Why don't you come with me? We can live on my world, I know the world you come from is gone but we can have a life on mine together."  
  
Blink sighed deeply and broke away from the embrace. She thought about how wonderful it would be, but then she thought on what she learned. They had been used to do more harm then good, all their friends had died in vain for nothing. She couldn't let that go; she couldn't let their sacrifices be for nothing. "I'm sorry Cal...I can't, I just can't go with you. There is much more to do now, I want to try and make up for everything that we did. There's no telling the kind of damage we've done."

"I mean what did everyone die for? If all we did was evil then they died for that. I won't just let that be the legacy of the Exiles or for those that fell in battle with us. They deserved more then that...and I need to do this too. I fought my whole life against evil the fact that I, even though unaware, was working for it sickens me...I can't let this go." She said sadly to him and she could see the sadness in his face and she knew that even she wouldn't be able to convince him to stay on with them.  
  
She sighed. "I hope you'll be happy when you get back home." She turned away from everyone, not wanting to let them see the tears threatening to overwhelm her.  
  
The Guardian sighed slightly, disappointed that some of them were leaving but didn't voice it. He knew it was their choice and would accept it so he turned to address Heather and Morph.  
  
"What about you two, do you want to go home or do you wish to continue saving realities?"  
  
"I want to continue." Heather replied, Blink's words echoing in her thoughts at all the things she had seen, done and the friends lost. "Fight the good fight!"  
  
"Yeah!" Morph added. "For truth, justice and... stuff..."  
  
"Very well." The Guardian said, smirking slightly at Morph's attitude. "First we will take the ones that wish to leave, home, then we will recruit new members."  
  
Without another word, the Exiles were teleported away onto a new adventure...

**Elsewhere-**

In a dark chamber, a semi-circle of individuals sat in the dark, the shadows obscured their forms and hid their identities from any of those that served them that wouldn't mind selling out the secrets of the Dark Circle.

A large figure with horns spoke up. "Where is Timebroker?" He bellowed in a deep voice. "He should have been here by now to give a report."

"I do not know." Said a voice of someone or something in heavy robes. The voice was like a harsh whisper. "I have already sent one of my Acolytes to find him."

The door to the chamber on the far end opened and a man in a business suit, all black and with dark slicked back hair walked in. He carried himself tall and with great posture and the dark shades covering his eyes were just as dark as his appearance. He stopped before the assembled beings and bowed.

"My apologies my Lords." He said. "But I have bad news. It seems Timebroker is out of the picture." There were a few angered voices raised at that.

"This council created Timebroker to reek havoc and to do our bidding across the multiverse." A snarling member said to him. "Who is responsible for this?" He demanded.

"And what of his Exiles?" A feminine voice called out.

"A Guardian was responsible." The man in the suit said, and there were worried murmurs amongst them. "I believe it was one of the wondering ones, the one named Adam, and I think he has taken the Exiles as his own."

"I told you I should have killed that Guardian! I should have done it centuries ago!" Came an impulsive voice.

"Please." Said one of the females in an amused tone. "You wouldn't stand a chance, why a weakling like you is on this council I will never know."

"Enough!" Came the central figure. "This Guardian is becoming an annoyance. At least when he was working with the Confederation his hands were tied, but now that he broke away from them and is in exile, he's more dangerous to us now more then ever."

"So what do we do now?"

"We wait for him to make the first move then plan things out from there." Red glowing eyes showed themselves in the darkness. "Then...him and his Exiles will die."

* * *

**Next Chapter 2: Going Home**


	2. Going Home

**The New Exiles  
  
By The Uncanny R-Man And Agent-G  
  
Shout Outs-**

Winblades: Thanks for being honest with the last one, I guess we just needed someone to tell us to get us to try a little more harder. I know it was cliché but it works, and you got to love some of them  
  
Fire inu: Yeah we wanted to change it and make it more interesting.

Ruby631: No we pulled the old one, and starting over but with a few new twists.

celtcath74: Yep he'll still be in this.

* * *

**Chapter 2: Going Home**  
  
**The woods behind the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning-**  
  
The woods around the Xavier Institute were lit up as a portal appeared in the air. Several figures appeared out of it. Blink, Morph, Sasquatch, the three remaining members of the time-tossed adventures known as the Exiles. Also with them was Barnell Bohusk, aka Beak, and the mysterious figure known only as the Guardian.  
  
"Well here we are everybody." The Guardian said to them all. "This is the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning."  
  
"What, again?" Morph groaned. "We never stop coming to this frickin' place!"  
  
"We've only been here twice before Morph." Sasquatch corrected him.  
  
"Is this really it?" Beak asked hopefully. "I can finally go home?" He looked hopefully at Guardian.  
  
He smiled down at the young teen. "Yes." The Guardian replied. "You are free to go."  
  
"Sweet!" Beak grinned. With no further ado, Beak let out a squawk of happiness and ran down the hill towards the mansion hoping to find his girlfriend and kids, he had missed them so much and wanted to find them as fast as possible.  
  
"Wait a sec!" Morph said as he suddenly realized something. "This is the same reality that we left TJ in, right?" He said, remembering how their old friend and former teammate TJ was left in this reality not long ago.  
  
"Yeah." Sasquatch said. "I think you're right Morph."  
  
"I have some other business to attend to." The Guardian told the others. "Why don't you catch some rest?"  
  
"Great!" Morph grinned. "The Timebroker never let us have any time off!"  
  
After the Guardian had left to attend to whatever business he had to, Sasquatch looked at Blink and noticed her depressed expression.  
  
"Hey Clarice, what's up?" She asked. "It's Cal isn't it?" Clarice nodded her head sadly, tears forming in her eyes.  
  
Sasquatch changed into her human form of Heather Hudson and held Clarice in a hug. 'C'mon girl, let it all out!' Heather said.  
  
Clarice burst into tears and buried her head on Heather's shoulder. Morph looked over at the two women and his heart went out to Blink. Calvin Rankin wasn't Morph's favourite person but he was a friend non-the-less. His decision to leave the tram affected everybody.  
  
"I'll go see if TJ's still about." He said.  
  
**Inside-**  
  
Talia Josephine Wagner, the daughter of an alternate world's Nightcrawler and Scarlet Witch and the former Exile and now present member of the Uncanny New Mutants known as Nocturne, was walking through the main foyer of the mansion when she heard a knock on the door. She went to answer it and almost jumped out of her skin as she saw who it was.  
  
"How you doin?" Someone that looked suspiciously like Joey from Friends said. TJ didn't believe it for one minute.  
  
"Morph!" She squealed, grabbing her former teammate in a huge hug. "What're you doing here? Where's everybody else?"  
  
Morph switched back to his normal form. "We just came to drop off Beak." He replied.  
  
"But I thought that Beak was supposed to join you guys." TJ said. "Don't tell me the Timebroker changed his mind!"  
  
"Not really." Morph replied. "The Timebroker turned out to be evil and now we're working for another guy that kicked his butt, so far he seems like a nice guy."  
  
"Umm... Okay..." TJ said, kinda confused. "Why don't you come in and meet the others?"  
  
At that moment Clarice and Heather joined Morph outside the door. TJ let out a piercing scream. "EEEEEE!'" She squealed. "You're back!"  
  
"Jeez!" Morph winced. "Warn a guy next time, okay?"  
  
"Warning!" TJ said.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
TJ let rip with another squeal. "EEEEE!" Then she noticed the absence of other teammates. "Uh guys, where's Cal?" She asked.  
  
"H-he left." Clarice sniffed. "H-he's gone back home."  
  
"Oh Clarice, I'm so sorry!" TJ said. "Come on, gimmie a hug!" Clarice leant into TJ's hug.  
  
**Later-**  
  
Clarice and Heather are in the rec room hanging out with TJ and the other members of the Uncanny New Mutants. Rahne Sinclair, Warlock, Amara Aquilla, Pete Wisdom, Kurt Wagner and Rachel Grey. August, the newest member is presently indisposed as she has private matters to attend to.  
  
"So you guys are a bunch of time-tossed adventurers all from different realities?" Amara asks.  
  
"Yup." Heather replies. "That's us."  
  
"I've heard of a lotta weird stuff." Pete says. "But this takes the bloody biscuit!"  
  
"Just ignore him." Amara says. "He just had a prank pulled on him a few days ago by some students here and a dragon."  
  
"A dragon that can bloody talk!" Pete adds.  
  
"Oh aye." Rahne says in that tone you use when you don't believe someone, while rolling her eyes. "A dragon that can talk."  
  
"He bloody well can!" Pete replies. "Lockheed can talk!"  
  
"Pete, seriously mein freund." Kurt says. "You need to cut back on the vodka just a little bit."  
  
"Oh bollocks to the bloody lot of yer!" Pete mutters crossing his arms and looking like a kid pouting.  
  
"Is he always like this?" Clarice asks. "Grouchy I mean."  
  
"Every damn day." Warlock replies.  
  
**Meanwhile-**  
  
While Clarice and heather are hanging out with the others, Morph decided to have a go exploring the mansion on his own. This X-Mansion is different from his own as he can see, but then again it seems every version of the mansion gets trashed or destroyed from what he's heard so it stands to reason they might build it differently.  
  
Morph stops beside a statue and look sit up and down. It is a life-size statue of the co-headmistress Emma Frost. Morph cocks a curious eyebrow at the sight of the statue's attire or lack there of.  
  
"Jeez!" He mutters. "This Frosty must've been reeeal popular with a uniform like that! Reverse X-Bra thingie, wow!" Morph turns around and is about to walk away when he sees three identical blonde girls standing in front of him.  
  
"Aw Jeez!" He squeals girlishly, jumping back at the sudden appearance of the girls. "You almost gave me a freakin' heart attack!"  
  
"Hello!" The three girls say altogether in a freaky monotone voice. "We haven't seen you here before. Are you the new substitute teacher?"  
  
"Uh... no." Morph replies, kinda freaked out at the sight of three identical blonde girls with scary glowy eyes. "I hope you don't mind me askin' but..."  
  
"You want to know why we have scary glowy eyes." The girls say, cutting Morph off.  
  
"How did you...?"  
  
"Know what you were going to say?" The girls ask, cutting him off once more. "We are the Stepford Cuckoos. We can hear you thoughts..."  
  
Morph shivers in discomfort at the sound of the girls' freaky monotone voices. "Well, it' been fun girls." He says. "But I've got to go, my house needs... washing. Bye!" With that, Morph runs away down the corridor as fast as his legs can carry him. The Cuckoos watch as he runs down the hallway and turns the corner into the rec room.  
  
"Well that was fun." Eve says.  
  
"It's always so much fun to freak out the new guys!" Phoebe grins.

**The rec room-**

Heather and Clarice look up as Morph runs in the door. "Morph, you looked freaked." Heather says. "What's up?"  
  
Morph groans out loud and drops into a vacant chair. "Have you guys ever seen 'Village of the Damned?'" He asks.  
  
"Ye've met the Cuckoos, haven't ye?" Rahne asks. "The three wee girls with th' scary glowy blue eyes?"  
  
"Uh-huh." Morph replies. "I've never been so scared in my life and I've seen the Hulk naked!"  
  
"Okay, bad mental image!" Warlock groans shutting his eyes and shaking his head.  
  
Clarice chooses to ignore Morph's comments and turns back to TJ. "So TJ, seeing that we're a couple of members down we were wondering whether you wanted to come back an join the team?"  
  
TJ looks at the person sitting next to her on the couch, Rachel Grey. "It's alright TJ." Rachel says. "You can tell them."  
  
TJ takes a deep breath before continuing. "Well normally I'd love to Clarice." She says. "But... I've kinda met someone..."  
  
"Who?" Clarice asks.  
  
TJ links her hand with Rachel's and smiles back at Clarice. Clarice's mouth forms a small 'o' of surprise. "You two are..."  
  
"Together?" Rachel asks. "We certainly are!"  
  
"How did this happen?" Heather asks. "How long have you been together?"  
  
"Well it all started after a mission to Hong Kong.' TJ replies. "We were celebrating a mission well done in our room with a few Daiquiris and well... one thing lead to another..."  
  
"Dude!" Morph says leaping up. "You know what this means?"  
  
"No Morph." TJ sighs. "We're not taking you to a gay bar."  
  
"Aw nuts!" Morph pouts.  
  
**DARK CITY**

Guardian is walking the streets of Dark City. It's not really a city as it is a nexus between realities. It just looks like a city. Well once that looks like a mismatched city with parts of other urban center from different time periods all forced together, not to mention what little sanitation department this city had wasn't much to talk about, so there was dirt, grim and some other things he didn't even want to think about on the streets. It looked like something from Tim Burton mixed in with Skid Row from The Little Shop of Horrors, only without all the singing. Plus the fact it was always dark in this city since it was always midnight.

"I hate this place." He muttered walking on.

All watches and clocks and other time pieces all read midnight when you entered this place. Time was stopped here, if it actually existed in this forsaken place. It was also filled with more things that went bump in the night then anywhere else you could walk through. Plus this place was dangerous, especially to tourists.

He'd already seen two killed so far trying to cross the damn street. Which was actually a bit of a surprise since normally he would see or hear four or five by the time he walked this far. There were things all around this place like a few of the cars weren't exactly cars. They were hungry and ate anyone stupid enough to try and cross in front of them.

He saw a dwarf, a real one, selling charms by the street side. They were fakes of course, but the tourists didn't know that. He saw a few of the street workers of various beings. He also saw a few demons walk by, most likely here on a day pass.

"I _really_ hate this place."

Dark City was neutral territory, where both good and evil could go freely. There were rules that had to be followed, even him. If anyone got out of line then they would be in BIG trouble if not with the Enforcers then with the Deities. There was one place called the Tower of the Gods. And like the name says a whole bunch of powerful deities live in the tower.

You don't go there uninvited either. Now Guardian was powerful like all the other Guardians but even he wasn't a match for a whole bunch of pissed of gods. He found the alley he was looking for, it was jokingly called the rat maze because the all the twists and turns and the fact it kept changing when you moved. It took him days to find the damn place.

Luckily after he found out the secret finding the door was easy. It was just a plain door with no markings and he opened it and walked in. He had just walked into The Forsaken, a bar that he had been asked to meet someone in. The place was dank, slightly smoky with loud heavy metal playing all the time.

He could also sense them. In the corner he could sense them just like they could sense him. Darksiders. There were three of them, a young looking human boy, a female of some alien species he couldn't recall the name at the moment and a big hairy looking thing to that he'd never seen before.

Darksiders, the one thing all Guardians despise and fear. Mainly due to the fact they were a reminder of what could happen to them. When someone was given The Power, that which the source for much of a Guardian's powers there was a chance they would become corrupted over time. Since no Guardian has ever died of natural causes they lived until they were either killed, 'retired' which was giving up The Power and becoming mortal again...or turning into a Darksider.

He ignored them and walked up to the bar. "Beer." He said and the bartender gave him one. He didn't recognize him and figured he was new.

"Glad you could make it Adam." Said a voice of a fair looking man with thin features long silver hair and long pointed ears.

"Long time no see Laval." Adam said with a smile seeing his old Elf friend. He too was one of the 'wondering' Guardians. Although Adam liked the term Ronin himself.

"And for us that can say something." The elf said and both chuckled at the inside joke. "I heard what you did."

"Already! Man word travels fast nowadays." Adam shook his head, he didn't know word had gotten out already. The barman gave him his beer and he took one sip and that was it. "Oh man! Did he piss in this or what?" He asked his friend disgusted with the beverage.

"No not this time." Laval told him and Adam was wondering if he was joking or not and decided not to know. "You realize that you really are starting to piss of some powerful people right?"

"Ha, what else is new?"

"I'm serious he worked for the Dark Circle. And now that you don't have to protection of the Confederation of the Guardian Guild behind you, you're open season, there are not enough non-affiliated Guardians to help you out if you get into trouble, well _when_ you get into trouble."

Adam smiled. "Thanks for the concern and for telling me who was behind that little bald headed menace."

"So what are you going to do with these Exiles?"

Adam thought about it. "To tell the truth I think I'll help them find their redemption and help others. I mean I can only do so much I could use the help with some of the problems in other worlds. Plus...they need a purpose in life. They need a home they need to feel like what they do matters. And it will matter too. I can see much good that can come from them and the people they can help."

"Sounds like the Confederation."

Adam looked a little more grim then. "Not exactly, one it will be on a smaller scale, unlike the Confederation I won't do things because they're in my own interests it will be because it's the right thing to do and lastly I won't impost my rule over whatever world I try and help."

Laval nodded. "Nobel goal...I hope it works out."

Adam smiled and got up and shook his hand. "If there isn't anything else I better be going. I'll see ya around."

Laval nodded. "Good fortune and long life my friend and good fortune."

**The next morning-**  
  
Clarice, Heather and Morph are bidding the others goodbye. "Are you sure that you won't change your mind on the gay bar trip?" Morph asks.  
  
"No Morph." TJ sighs. "Just go before I kick your ass, okay?"  
  
Clarice steps up and grabs her friend in a huge hug. 'I'll miss you TJ!' She says. "You look after her Rachel!"  
  
"Will do!" Rachel replies the red headed telepath.  
  
Then Heather steps up and gives TJ a hug. "Seeya round TJ!" She says.  
  
"Don't be strangers!" TJ replies.  
  
"Bye all!" Morph says, waving goodbye.  
  
The three heroes turn back once more as Clarice conjures up a teleportation portal and wave one last time. Then they step into the portal and disappear with a 'Blink!' to the woods to meet up with Guardian so he could take them on their next destination.  
  
**TBC...  
**

* * *

**  
NEXT: Meet Mayhem...**


	3. Meet Mayhem

**New Exiles  
  
By Agent-G And The Uncanny R-Man**

**Shout outs:**

Winblades: Well I'm glad you like the re-write but be warned much later in the story, close to where the original was, we were going to have a gay couple on the team (not the main one though), I won't say who, but just a warning.

Ruby631: Yeah, not the kind of place you want to go uninvited unless you want to have something biblical happen to you.

Thanks to: celtcath74, Red Witch

* * *

**Chapter 3: Meet Mayhem**The mutant travelers suddenly found themselves on a street in a ruined city. The sun was setting and they could see the empty and hollowed out forms of the buildings around them. There was the smell of smoke and several burning type of smells and a few other unpleasant ones too. The city looked like a war zone of some third world but the sighs were in English, at least the ones that were still legible.  
  
"Wow." Morph said looking around. "This place has been trashed." He kicked at some rumble.  
  
Blink looked around. "Kind of reminds me of my Earth a little." She said sadly seeing the devastation and remembering the world were Apocalypse had taken over and all the horrors, like the concentration camps were she lost her parents.  
  
"What happened here?" Heather asked looking at the destruction.  
  
"Nothing good." They turned to see the Guardian looking at the ruins with a note of sadness on his face. "I always hate coming to these worlds." He had seen so much in the millenniums he'd spent in life. He had seen great good and great evil in his times. It was places like this that tore at his core, the fact he was so powerful yet still helpless to help heal this world. He could only give the survivors of this horror a new chance at life.  
  
"Are you telling me we're supposed to save this?" Morph asked him gesturing around him.  
  
"No." The Guardian said to Morph no taking his eyes off the place. "This world is too far gone, what I want you to do is to get someone I feel would be a good member of your team. Oh Blink before I forget I want to give you something."  
  
Blink stepped forward and watched as he reached under his leather jacket and into the brown leather traveling pouch. He pulled out a small side pouch with a belt and a small strap at one end.  
  
She took it with a slightly puzzled look but she put it on. She found that the lower strap seemed to fit on her upper leg. After she finished it she found it fit perfectly and didn't seem to get in the way of her movement.  
  
"Here, this goes into the pouch." He said to her and handed her a small rectangular device. She saw a small screen at the top and a few buttons on the side but a few controls under the screen. "This PADD will allow you to access certain information you might need about certain worlds, also this button here will activate your transport to the next world."  
  
"Why don't you just do it?" She asked him.  
  
"Well I'll be busy. First I have to deal with Timebroker, I got to place that rune in a safe spot. Then I have to try and evacuate the few survivors of this world to a safer place and that will take some time and I might not be done until your next mission is completed at least."  
  
"Well you sound better then the Timebroker already, that guy didn't seem to care who lived or died." Heather said to him, the anger in her voice on Timebroker's past actions evident in them and all the lives that man had just thrown away like they meant nothing.  
  
"Thank you, but I must go now." He said and turned and started to walk off.  
  
"Wait how will we know this guy? How will we find him?" Blink said to him as he was walking away.  
  
"Don't worry he'll find you." Was all he said before he vanished into thin air.  
  
The others stood there for a moment. "Well that was helpful." Morph said sarcastically. "How are we, or this mystery guy supposed to find us?"  
  
"_MUTANT SIGNATURES DETECTED_!" Bellowed a huge metallic voice from above.  
  
"I think we got bigger problems now Morph!" Heather said transforming into her Sasquatch form. Three giant Sentinels land in front of them. They raised their hands and began firing at the mutants with the laser cannons built into their palms.  
  
The three of them scattered and each had to take on a Sentinel. Blink teleported and used her lances to try and damage as much as possible the joints. Morph transformed into a giant rope and tied up the legs of one causing it to fall down. As soon as he transformed back into his normal form he saw it getting up. "Well it worked in the Empire Strikes Back." He said to himself.  
  
Heather was using her strength and had managed to launch a broken street lamp into one of the palms destroying the laser. She was dodging the blasts but one glanced her causing her to hit a junked car.  
  
Morph was at her side helping her up and trying to get out of her way. "Man we could really use some help right about now." He said. Then several crimson energy beams hit the Sentinel in the head a couple going right through. They could see a figure flying at the head and seemed to punch it a few times, denting the head inward until it fell powerless to the ground.  
  
Morph looked up into the sky. "I wish it would rain a million dollars and super models." But nothing happened. "Oh well I had to try it."  
  
Blink could see the mysterious person who had just finished off one of the three Sentinels, she couldn't get a clear view of him, but that didn't matter he was already working on the second one that she was fighting and she could see the last one Morph was fighting was nearly back up.  
  
That Sentinel looked at the stranger. "_SCANNING. MUTANT NUMBER 28746-B23 FOUND. THREAT LEVEL HIGH. ORDERS TERMINATE WITH EXTREME PREJUDICE_."  
  
"You got THAT right metal head!" He yelled at it and sent a couple of energy bombs at it and made several holes in its chest. Blink took the opening and fired several of her lances in the holes.  
  
She must have hit some vital parts because the body jerked and fell. She turned to see the last one be destroyed when he raised his hands over his head. The hands glowed and when he brought them down a huge energy like wave took the Sentinel in the face cutting it open down the middle.  
  
It staggered a minute before it fell. The Exiles gathered together as the figure landed. They could see him clearly now. He was tall, wearing what looked like army boots, with urban camo pants. He had on a black shirt covered with a brown leather jacket with sergeant strips sowed onto the arms. He had a Katana strapped to his waist.  
  
His white skin was smudged by dirt and grime, it was clear he hadn't shaved in several days and his mullet of midnight black hair was kept out of his face by a white headband with an oriental symbol on it. There was also something around his neck, a small chain that they would latter see was what his dog tags were on. What were really noticeable were the intense light blue eyes. "You guys picked the wrong neighborhood to walk down on." He said to them his face hard and slightly tired looking.  
  
"Yeah no kidding buddy, who are you anyway?" Morph said to him.  
  
"The name's Vincent Freeman also called Mayhem for obvious reasons." He pointed to the ruined machines. "But this isn't the place to talk." He looked to Blink. "Can you teleport us about one mile in that direction?" He asked pointing in the distance.  
  
"Yeah I think so." She made a portal and one by one they walked through. They ended up in a large area that looked like a parking lot. Heather looked around and gasped at the site she saw. It was the hallowed out remains of the Skydome and the bottom part of the CN tower next to it striking out like a tombstone. The rest of it was laying on the ground in rubble.  
  
"Good Lord...we're in Toronto." She said quietly to herself. She had lived in this city for years and loved it, to see it in ruins like this was disheartening. Vincent led them to a door of a nearly ruined building that looked like it was barely standing and pushed it open. They walked in and after they were all in he closed it. He lead them down some stairs the lights flickering as they descended. Heather had to transform to her human form to fit and when they reached the bottom they saw a room filled with debris but it looked lived in.  
  
There was a fire pit, and lights jury-rigged around the place, they could see a generator in the side with cables leading to it. "So who exactly are you people and why weren't you with the evacuation party?" Vincent asked them.  
  
"Well this is going to take some time." Blink said to him. She explained everything about the Exiles from the beginning to up to now; she had to admit he took the news well.  
  
"So you're now working for this Guardian guy and you think I'm the one that he sent you to find while he saves everyone else on this word and takes them somewhere safe." He said to them. "Well he sounds like a nice guy, but why me? I mean I tried my best and I failed here." He said to them looking down at the floor. It was obvious that he felt responsible for this world."Look you can't beat yourself up about this." Blink gently said to him. "I know, I came from a world that was pretty much ruled by this guy called Apocalypse and when I left, well, things weren't looking that great either."  
  
Vincent looked up at her; he could see she was being honest with him. "Yeah we had that guy here too, but the X-Men defeated him years ago."  
  
"You know I got to ask, what's with all the Sentinels?" Morph asked him. "I mean the city looks like a war zone, don't tell me it's mutant against human."  
  
Vincent shook his head. "No it's everyone against Sentinel." He told them the history of his Earth. How after the defeat of Apocalypse certain political parties urged the creation of the Sentinels to stop these mutant 'threats'. It was started up and when they were let lose they attacked the X-Men first. They were wiped out, and then they moved on.

That was years ago when the Sentinels started their attack he joined up with the Mutant Underground. A couple of his friends had joined with them but that was just the beginning. He remembered how Mary a girl he had known since childhood and who was the first woman he had a relationship had died at the hands of FOH members while trying to get food for the Underground.

That was the beginning of the end for him. He was in a dark mood and tried his best to keep going one day at a time.  
  
But then after a year something went wrong, the Sentinels' programming was to destroy all traces of mutants but they soon realized that mutants came from humans too, and since they were to wipe out all traces they then turned on the humans. Then mutants and humans had to band together to fight off them, but they were losing the war.

He was part of a special elite force in Toronto and they did their best. During the years in the team he found love in another woman in his team a mutant. For awhile he thought there was hope but six months later he had watched her get killed by a Sentinel like so many of his friends. It was strange, as a kid living in the orphanage he had loved shows about giant robot like the Transformers. But now he didn't like them, in fact he hated them. They had caused so much pain and suffering, they had taken everything he had left in life.

Near the end a young woman a rookie was smitten with him. He had become kind of a legend over the years and he returned her feelings, or tried to. He cared for her, she had been a sweet girl but sadly he never loved her. It shamed him that he couldn't and that she died hoping that one day he would. She had deserved to have someone that could love her back.

Vincent told them of in the last days of the resistance force in Toronto was being evacuated, him and his squad or what was left of them, were to ensure the people escaped to the water but then the Sentinels came. Vincent and a few others stayed behind to cover the retreat. They gave it their all and one by one they fell. At the end Vincent was all that had survived.

"That was a week ago, I don't know if any of the others made it or not." He finished his tale staring into the fire with slightly haunted eyes. The others were silent after wards, but Blink stepped forward a little.  
  
"Vincent I know you most likely feel responsible, I lost people too who entrusted me to lead them. But I keep going on and fighting, and I know you must have tried your best but maybe that's why we're here. To give you a second chance." He looked up at her then really listening to her words.  
  
"Look the way I see it, you think you've failed this world, well why not try and make up for it with us. We go to many worlds and try to help them, and from what I've seen no one could have won this war. But with us you can make a difference, so I'm asking you...will you join us?"  
  
Vincent regarded the woman for a moment. He then looked to the small fire burning deep in thought. "You said that he was saving all the rest, so there's no one left here if I do stay." He thought about dying alone on this rock, being the last one on this world just stay here and lay down and die but that wasn't his style. He was always a fighter; if he had wanted to just lie down and die he would have done that a while ago.

He actually smiled a little then, the first smile in what felt like a lifetime to him. He looked back at Blink and the others. "Sure why not. Everyone needs a reason to live for and to die for. I got nothing left here. Besides I need to do something with my life...to try and make up for here...if I can help others and save a few worlds...then maybe all the sacrifices might mean something in the long run."  
  
"Glad to hear it, it will be nice to have a fellow Canadian on the team." Heather said smiling at the man. He nodded and went to pick up a worn travel bag, it held all of the items that meant anything to him. It had some spare clothing, a few pictures and mementoes but most importantly it held his sword.

It was a samurai's sword and not just any sword. When he was seven he was able to learn the martial arts from an old man in his neighborhood that was descended from a long line of samurai warriors. Vincent remembered all those years of training those were the carefree days of this youth. At the end of his training he was not only taken into the clan but also the clan sword.

It was a legacy to carry on the clan and now...he was the last and if he died then the last of the Mototsugu clan legacy died with him and he promised his sensei to do honor to the clan and to carry on the legacy. He never broke a promise and he wasn't about to now.  
  
"Well if I'm going I want to take this, since I doubt I'll ever be back here." He said to them hoisting the bag onto his back.  
  
Blink nodded and pulled out the PADD. They gathered together and she activated it like the Guardian showed her to and instantly they were all transported by a flash of light.

Across the town a few figures watched the Sentinels at their work completely invisible to the giant machines. The three figures looked alike with stylized shades and slicked back hair. One was white haired, another was a red head and the final one was blond. They wore large black trench coats with red glyph markings down the sleeves and a strange red symbol on their backs.

"It is going well." The blond one said in a calm and nearly emotionless voice.

"Yes, it was a good idea of our masters to reprogram the machines." The red head said in agreement in the same creepy voice. "Soon this world will be ready for us to take over, the survivors will be too weak to stop us and they will serve us."

The last one though cocked his head slightly to the left. "Something is wrong. Many of the remaining life signs are disappearing."

"Are the Sentinels getting too thorough?" The red head asked.

The white haired on shook his head. "No...they are not passing on...they are simply...gone."

"This does not go well." The blond said. "If this keeps up there will be no one left and our masters won't like an empty planet."

"Agreed." The other two said at once.

"Should we report of investigate?" The red headed one asked.

"We should try and find the cause of this." The white haired one said. "Then we report."

"After we have dealt with it." The other one agreed. All three nodded their heads as one and flew up into the sky.  
  
**TBC...**

* * *

**NEXT: MEET AUGUST**


	4. Meet August

**The New Exiles  
By The Uncanny R-Man And Agent-G**

**Shout Outs-**

Ruby631: Well they weren't really important for the plot just to give the character a little more history and background. Maybe later I'll bring it up again, plus there were three women in total Mary, a mutant that got killed by a Sentinel and the last one he never loved.  
  
Thanks to: Damn-my-name-was-taken

* * *

**Chapter 4: Meet August**-**Manhattan-**  
  
The mutant travelers found themselves on top of a building in Manhattan. They looked around but there was no Guardian in sight. "Guess he's still busy with Vincent's world." Morph says to everyone.  
  
Heather noticed Vincent looking across the city taking in every sight and sound, a look of pure amazement and awe on his face. "Vincent, are you alright?" She asks him.  
  
"It's beautiful." He said to himself. "I nearly forgot what it was like, and for a guy with a photographic memory that says something." He looked around at the streets below. "The people here are just having normal lives, no one's afraid of what's flying in the air, there's no fighting for survival, it's all like it was before the Sentinels." The sight before him was like looking at heaven for him, ever since the Sentinels started their attacks and then when his home city was nothing more then ruins he wondered if he would ever live long enough to see a sight like this, he was overjoyed but it was short lived.  
  
"Hey man where's your stuff?" Morph pointed out.  
  
Vincent looked down and saw his sword and bag were missing. "What the Hell?" He shouted out. "Where did they go?" He was getting pissed now, that was the only personal items he had left in the world and he didn't want to lose them.  
  
A beeping noise from Blink's PADD sounded. She took it out and looked at it with a confused expression. "It says; all unregistered items have been sent to HQ storage."  
  
"What does that mean?" Heather asked just as confused.  
  
"Whatever it means I better get that stuff back." Vincent said angrily. Little did they know that their arrival in this world was noticed.  
  
**Elsewhere-**  
  
In a dark room far away, which was only lit by many candles lighting the area, beyond their light only darkness was seen. There was a rug with a strange design on the floor in the center was a circle of white powder and various artifacts that glowed and a glowing portal was above it. In this room stood two people, a man and a woman, watched them through a mystical portal. The man was middle aged with graying temples in a long red robe and blue silk puffy shirt all stylized out of something from a fantasy book. The woman was in her mid twenties and had long blond hair with blue eyes. She wore a red full body suit that clung to her frame showing off all her curves and with a purple cloak. They were Dr. Strange and Amanda Sefton, two of the world's most powerful magic users.  
  
"Are these the ones foretold that would help?" Amanda asked the older man looking at the Exiles through the magic viewing portal. It was said long ago that in a time of darkness when a witch would make an unholy alliance with a man of evil, a man of metal they would bring death and horror to the world. It was also said that visitors not of this Earth yet of Earth would come to their aid and help them. 'Well that was the abridged version.' Amanda thought. 'The real one goes on and on and is a lot more boring, not to mention written in Latin.'  
  
Dr. Strange nodded. "Yes I believe so."  
  
Dr Strange and Amanda look up from the portal as they heard the footsteps of others approach them. "Is it almost time?" One person asks, a young redheaded woman dressed in red gypsy garb.  
  
"Yeah, what's the what, Doc?" Her blonde companion asks, she was the youngest of them in her early twenties and in a blue and black uniform reminisant of the Fantastic Four but without the number four symbol. "I'm itching to give Doom a good ass kicking after what he did to my parents." She said angrily, she had watched Doom kill her parents and the rest of her family right before her eyes and had sworn to avenge them all.  
  
"Ah, Wanda, Valeria." Dr Strange says. "I'm glad that you are here. It is indeed time, if the prophecy is correct, these new arrivals are the only ones that can help us." He looked to Valeria and hoped she would keep her powers and especially her anger in line. She was close to losing herself and he didn't want her to fall to the dark arts to avenge her loss. He saw much promise in her and he didn't want to lose such a pupil to the dark forces of magic. They already had enough to deal with Selene and Doom.  
  
"I think that we'd better get to them straight away." Amanda says looking at them with concern. "They're about to bump into some unwanted visitors."  
  
**Manhattan-**  
  
The Exiles are walking through the streets of Manhattan. This reality's Manhattan is quite different from each of their own realities. There are no angry mobs of mutant hating bigots after them for a start.  
  
"I don't know why." Morph says looking around the city. "But I've got a freaky feeling about this place."  
  
"Why so negative, Morph?" Heather asks. "It doesn't seem so bad to me."  
  
"Have you got any idea what we're doing in this reality Blink?" Vincent asked her.  
  
Blink takes her PADD out of its pouch and takes a look at it. "All it says is; 'gather and rescue'." Blink replies.  
  
'Jeez." Morph mutters. "Cryptic much? That thing's more annoying than the Tallus!"  
  
"The what-us?" Vincent asks.  
  
"Long story, buddy." Morph replies. The group is about to round a corner when a burst of static come from a speaker above their heads.  
  
"Attention people of New Latveria, Lord Doom and Lady Selene are about to make their monthly inspection."  
  
A shiver of shock runs through the assembled Exiles. "New Latveria?" Morph asks. "What kind of stupid ass name is that?"  
  
"The kind of name that a city would have if Dr Doom ruled America." Blink replies. "Or so the PADD says."  
  
"Dr. Who?" Vincent asks.  
  
"Not Who, Doom." Heather replies then turns to Blink. "How did Doom come to rule America, Blink?"  
  
She was looking through the information that was showing up. "The PADD says that some immortal sorceress called Selene released Doom from Hell after he was trapped there by the Fantastic 4. They joined forces to wreak revenge on the heroes of this reality." Blink replies. "Most of them are dead by now, the X-Men, Fantastic Four, Avengers...they're all dead."  
  
"Oh great." Morph groans. "A freaking reality where Doom rules the world, wonderful."  
  
"I'm still none the wiser." Vincent pipes up. "Care to tell the new guy who this Doom is so he can go about peeing his pants too?"  
  
"Dr Doom's only one of the most evil tyrants ever!" Morph replies looking at him with an astonished look on his face. "Didn't you have the Fantastic 4 in your reality?"  
  
"I don't think so." Vincent replies shrugging slightly. "I think they were killed by the Sentinels years ago, if they existed at all."  
  
The group turns around as they hear the sound of mechanical trumpets blaring. They watch as a cavalcade of robots and demons walk down the street. They duck into a nearby alley do avoid detection. After a short while Doom, in his ever-present suit of armor and green hooded cloak, and Selene, clad in her black leather bustier and flowing cloak, appear on a hover platform flanked by more bodyguards and soldiers.  
  
Everybody holds their breath as the cavalcade passes slowly by. Up on the hover platform there is Selene and Dr. Doom on matching thrones. Next to them a strange man in a suit stands and cocks his head to the left as if he's listening to something. He scans the crowd and sees the Exiles. 'This is no good.' He thinks to himself

He turns to Selene. "Forgive my interruption but you should be warned."

Selene turns her cold red eyes to him. "Warned about what?" She asks coldly.

The man in the suit nods to the Exiles. "That group is here to pose a threat to you. My masters gave you the power to resurrect Doom in exchange for you dealing with all those heroes." What he didn't say was that when they finished dealing with the last of the heroes his masters would then take over and dispose of them.

Selene turns and whispers to Doom. Doom turns and points straight at our heroes. "Seize those mutants!" He booms.  
  
"Looks like its time for action." Morph sighs.  
  
Our heroes leap to action as a squad of Doombots and demons storm the alley. Blink throws her teleportation lances, transporting her enemies away. Morph's arms change into orange rock, not unlike The Thing's.  
  
"To rip-off a close buddy of mine." He says. "IT'S CLOBBERIN' TIME!" He then smashes several Doombots to pieces.  
  
"Morph, lookout!" Heather, in her Sasquatch form, yells.  
  
Morph turns around just in time to see two flying demons swoop towards them. Before he can defend himself however, Heather's furry white fists knocks the demons away, smashing them against a car.  
  
Vincent however, is having the time of his life blasting a gang of demons with his energy blasts. "Is this a normal day at the office for you guys?" He asks with a feral grin on his face while fighting.  
  
"Oh this is nothing." Morph replies. "This is only a good day!"  
  
Our heroes battle on bravely but no matter how many demons or Doombots they destroy, even more appear in their place. Just when the day seems lost, the demons and Doombots are disintegrated when a portal appears in the air. A man in a yellow cloak and three women step out.  
  
"Come with me if you wish to live." Dr Strange says.  
  
"You don't need to ask us twice, buddy." Morph replies.  
  
Our heroes step into the portal after Strange.  
  
"Curse you Strange!" Doom yells from his hover platform.  
  
**Elsewhere-**  
  
Another magical portal appears and Dr Strange and our heroes step out.  
  
"Not that we're ungrateful or anything." Vincent says. "But who are you and why did you bring us here?"  
  
"I am Dr. Steven Strange." Strange replies then steps aside to gestures to the others with him. "And these are my associates Wanda Maximoff, the Scarlet Witch, Amanda Sefton and Valeria Richards. I saved you because we are in dire need of your help."  
  
"Which is what, exactly?" Blink asks.  
  
Dr Strange waves his arm in the air and another magical portal appears. Through the portal they can see a black-haired woman in chains sitting in a cell and in ruined black leather clothing. She looks like she wasn't doing to well, she was a bit under fed and her appearance was unkempt.  
  
"We wish to enlist your help to rescue this woman." He says.  
  
"Doesn't seem too bad." Morph sniffs. "A simple rescue mission is all."  
  
"This is no simple rescue mission." Amanda says sternly to him. "This woman is being held captive in the demonic realm of Limbo." A collective groan rises from the assembled Exiles at the thought of yet another journey to the demonic netherworld.  
  
"Once again I've come in halfway through the movie." Vincent says getting a little frustrated at the only one being left behind in the conversation. "What exactly is this Limbo place?"  
  
"Think Hell." Valeria replies. "And you won't be too far off."  
  
"Great." He mutters to himself. "I've just gone from an Earthly Hell, to a real one all in one day." He figured if Father Michaels was here, the priest that was in charge of the orphanage that he grew up in and had basically raised Vince since he was seven would have something spiritual to say about this.  
  
"Okay." Blink says. "So we have to go and rescue this woman from Limbo, who exactly is she?"  
  
Dr Strange chooses to answer the question. "She is... Selene's daughter, and her name is August."

VINCENT'S WORLD

Guardian had been working none stop. He would teleport himself to the largest group of people and offered them a better life, most of them gladly took it and there were a few people who were skeptical or just didn't believe him. It was trying at times but eventually he won them over.

He was in an underground parking lot and had just finished with sending the group to a new place. He opened a portal to New Haven, a safe place where the others on the other side will look after them and get them settled in.

He turned from the portal as it closed was walked on ready to find the others when an uneasy feeling came on him. He thought he sensed something with him but he didn't see anything, but if the thousands of years he'd been around had told him anything it was that the eyes didn't always see what's there. He stretched out his senses and he felt something.

It was a cloak of some kind...it wasn't technological...it wasn't some kind of power...it was...oh no. "Magic." He said right before a huge blast of fire hit him in the chest knocking him through one of the cement pillars holding the structure up.

Then one of the Triplets as they were called became visible. It was the red headed one and the glyphs he wore were glowing in an eerie red light. He walked over to Guardian and smirked. "Well this is a surprise...we did not expect one of your kind, strange I always thought Guardians were tougher then that." He looked down on the flaming body and went to kick it.

But a hand shot out and grabbed his foot. "We are." Came the cold replay and in one smooth motion Guardian stood up and whipped him around onto an abandoned car crushing it inward from the impact and then threw him into another pillar that was cracked.

The red headed sorcerer looked up and spat out blood as he watched Guardian walked over to him. "Now you're going to tell me you sent you to this world and you're going to do that now."

The man looked around for his brothers but he had told them to wait and he couldn't let this Guardian take any information if he did then his masters would punish him in ways that would make him wish for death. He looked up at Guardian coldly. "I think not." He concentrated and the glyphs started to glow even brighter. Guardian was about to ask what he was doing but he could feel the energy building up and knew what it was.

Outside the other two brothers watched as a giant fiery explosion ripped through the building's lower levels causing it to collapse in on itself. When the rubble had stopped falling both of the brothers landed on the ruins and looked around with the same coldness they always showed.

"He always was impulsive." The blonde said to the other.

"Yes he was. We should report this now." The white-haired one said and turned around, as did the brother.

"Do you think whoever it was down there survived?"

"Doubtful." The other brother told him but they both stopped as a rumbling was heard and they both looked at each other before turning their attention to the ruins. A black-gloved fist shot out of the ruins like it was defying the material. Then the rest of an arm came lose and the hand grabbed hold of the ground and a sudden small explosion of debris flew out everywhere sending dust all over the place.

The two brothers covered their face and when everything settled there was Guardian, his clothing ripped and singed but other wise unhurt except for the angry expression on his face. He pulled out his long broad sword and glared at the two of them. "Oh this isn't over yet."

**TBC...**

* * *

****

**NEXT UP CHAPTER 5: CHUTES AND LADERS**


	5. Chutes and Ladders

**The New Exiles  
  
By The Uncanny R-Man And Agent-G**

**Shout Outs-**

Damn-my-name-was-taken: Yes I told him so don't worry about it.

Ruby631: Well technically they did, just not in person like in this chapter.

* * *

**Chapter 5: Chutes and Ladders****  
**

**Dr Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum-**  
  
The Exiles reel from the sudden revelation of the young woman's identity. "So she's Selene's daughter, huh?" Morph asks. "I didn't even know that the witch had a kid."  
  
"Selene was that woman dressed in all that black leather looking like she came from a porno, right?" Vincent asks.  
  
"Yup." Valeria replies crossing her arms. "Or as we prefer to call her, 'The Evil-Bitch- Monster-of-Death!"  
  
"Sounds friendly." Vincent mutters to himself.  
  
"So how exactly are we going to rescue this woman?" Blink asks. "I'd bet that her prison is heavily guarded."  
  
"You'd be correct in thinking that." Dr Strange replies. "August is locked away in the highest tower..."  
  
"Guarded by a fire-breathing dragon." Morph interrupts. The others look at him in confusion. "What?" He asks. "Am I the only one that's seen 'Shrek'?"  
  
Heather is the next to ask a question.  
  
"Am I correct in assuming that we'll have to go through Belasco and S'ym?" She asks.  
  
"I'm afraid not." Amanda replies. "They're both dead."  
  
A collective sigh of relief rises from the assembled Exiles.  
  
"Don't think yourselves lucky yet." Wanda warns them. "Blackheart is now ruler of Limbo!"  
  
"Aww crap!" Morph mutters. He heard of Blackheart, he was the son of the devil and not exactly a nice...thing. He faced him once when he was an Avenger at one point and he wasn't looking forward to meeting him again.  
  
Once again, Vincent feels left out, not really knowing what the Hell the others are talking about. "Care to enlighten the new guy exactly who this Blackheart guy is, so I can join in the collective pant wetting?"  
  
"He's the son of Mephisto." Heather replies.  
  
"And Mephisto would be the Devil, right?" Vincent asks, guessing where this is going, and since he was brought up by a priest, he knew about certain things like all the names of the Devil, Angels and other things.  
  
"Got it in one buddy." Morph replies.  
  
"Aww crap!" Vincent groans. "I was brought up believing in God and the Devil now I'm actually going to meet big red's son."  
  
**Limbo-**  
  
A large white teleportation disc appears in the air above the demonic realm known as Limbo and out heroes jump out. Vincent casts a wary eye over the army of demonic foot soldiers outside the entrance to Blackheart's fortress. It was like something out of Dante's Inferno.  
  
"Don't worry." Strange says, sensing Vincent's worry. "The guards cannot see us, I have cast a glamour spell, hiding us from their sight."  
  
"That's good to know." Vincent replies, sighing in relief.  
  
"So all we're gonna do is walk straight in?" Morph asked. "This is the easiest mission ever!"  
  
"That's what you think!" A voice booms above their heads. "Honestly Strange, did you really think that I couldn't sense your pathetic attempts to creep into my fortress?"  
  
Everyone looks up at the astral projection of the colossal demon that was all black with a thorn like hide and deep red eyes. Vincent turns to Morph for information. "Let me guess." The Canadian samurai says. "This guy's Blackheart."  
  
"You catch on quick Vince." Morph replies. "There'll be hope for you yet."  
  
The astral Blackheart waves his hands and there is a brief flash of light as the glamour hiding our heroes is broken. "Attack the mortals!" The astral Blackheart yells. The demon army lets out a deafening battle cry as they charge towards our heroes.  
  
"And I thought this was going to be easy." Heather sighs, bashing a couple of demons with her colossal furry fists.  
  
The other Exiles and Dr Strange and his associates join the battle. Our heroes throw everything that they have at the demons, from energy blasts and teleportation lances to magical fireballs and invisible force fields but the demonic army is too vast and our heroes are soon overwhelmed and defeated. The demon army gathers them up and carries them to the main chamber of Blackheart's fortress.

**Vincent's Reality-**

The white haired brother was slammed into the side of a building with great force. So far he and his other surviving brother had been fighting this Guardian for five minutes and already they knew they couldn't win. So far they had pissed him off and hurt him a little but he was trying to take them alive for questioning. That was not expectable.

He concentrated on the Guardian while he back was turned and fired an ice blast at him. Their opponent was to busy with his brother who was firing an energy blast at the front which was being blocked by the sword.

Guardian cried out in pain as the ice started to freeze his body. "We have him now." The blond one said passively and poured on the energy.

'Damn...not good.' Adam thought to himself. 'Okay then...try...this move!' He concentrated on his Ki and focused like he had learned from an old friend of his. He suddenly disappeared. The ice and yellow energy blasts then combined. The magical forces combined violently and a sudden explosion rocked the area.

The two sorcerers were knocked off their feet from the shockwave. Guardian had materialized behind a building protected by the large walls. He moved about getting the frost and ice off his back. He grinned to himself. "I love that move." He said to himself he was glad he had learned it; it had come in handy too many times.

"TARGETS DETECTED!" Came the loud booming voice of a Sentinel.

"What?!" He said to himself and ran to an opening in the wall and saw a few Sentinels land in the area. He saw the two dark sorcerers still on the ground trying to get up, apparently their glamour spell had been broken and the Sentinels that had been sent to investigate all the noise could now see them. "Damn it I need them alive I got to-" But it was too late the giant robots had just blasted the two fallen magic users.

"Damn it." He muttered under his breath. He abhorred senseless killing like that but it was out of his hands now. "I better get back to work." He said putting his sword away. He still had a lot of people that needed help on this world.  
  
**The main chamber-**  
  
The Exiles and company are now shackled in unbreakable magic chains and are brought in front of Blackheart's throne. The demonic lord of Limbo is sat upon a throne made of something that looks suspiciously like human bones and he carries in one of his hands the Soul Sword a powerful mystical blade of power.  
  
"Well look at this." Blackheart chortles. "The invincible Dr. Steven Strange finally kneeling at my feet. How does it feel knowing that your abysmal little life is about to end?"  
  
"I would prefer it even more if I were to take you with me, you abomination!" Strange replies, glaring at the monstrous demon in front of him. Blackheart just laughs out loud at Strange's words, his deep, booming laugh resounding around the room.  
  
"Flattery will get you nowhere." The demon lord says to them. "Guards, lock them in the cells, they will be executed with the other traitor. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to notify Lord Doom and Lady Selene of the good news."  
  
"Well it was nice knowing you guys." Vincent sighs, as they are lead away to their certain doom.  
  
**The cells-**  
  
Morph is pacing the cell that he is sharing with Vincent who was sitting patiently on the floor but his face was another matter is Morph didn't know any better he looked like he was trying to control himself. Morph was trying to think of a way out. Then an idea pops into his head. He conveys his idea to Dr Strange via telepathy.  
  
Doc, I've got an idea how to get these collars off us.  
  
I'd be glad to hear any ideas that you have Morph. Strange replies.  
  
I'm reminded of an episode of 'Angel'...  
  
I'm not sure that now is a time for pop culture references Morph. Strange replies.  
  
Hear me out for a sec, Doc. Morph says. Can you sense anything magical from these collars?  
  
The collars are dampening my ability to sense but... yes, now that you say it, I can sense some magical energy emanating forth.  
  
Morph grins as his plan begins to bear fruit. Well, I'd bet that these collars are part magic and part scientific, seeing that Doom and Selene are both behind this.  
  
I think I can see where you're going with this. Strange says. I already have a release spell in mind.  
  
Now we just need to find some horsehair to short out the locking mechanism. Morph says.  
  
I believe that the floor coverings are made of horsehair. Strange replies.  
  
Great stuff. Morph says. Now, chant the spell while you place the hair in the lock.  
  
There is a brief silence as Strange follows the plan.  
  
It worked! Strange grins. Your plan worked Morph! I will be there to rescue you momentarily.  
  
**August's Cell-**

August, a woman in her early twenties with long black hair and ice blue hair in ruined clothing had her wrists shackled but otherwise she was free to move around. But she didn't care, nothing mattered at the moment. She had lost everything.

She thought about her life since that was all there was for her do to.

Born fifteen years before the fateful witch trials in Salem, to the then Priestess of Nova Roma, Selene, during one of her mother's travels away from Nova Roma. Augusta grew up as a privileged child in the sleepy little town, that was until her mother grew bored and decided to liven life up a little, add to that the fact that August had inherited all of her mother's mutant powers, from her manipulation and creation of fire to the ability to psionically drain the life force of others. Selene also schooled her daughter in the black arts.

Anything that happened that the townsfolk could not explain was explained away as witchcraft. So when babies disappeared or livestock was poisoned, witches were blamed. Many innocent women were burnt. All of this was down to Selene.

As it often happens when you're immortal, Selene soon grew bored with the chaos that she had caused and decided to move back to Nova Roma. August went along with her. Augusta stayed at her mother's side for many years.

But it was not to last. During the fateful few days when the teenage mutant group known as 'the New Mutants' arrived at Nova Roma, August was intrigued by the young mutants. Unfortunately, her mother tried to kill them. During the earthquake that ensued after a young Nova Roman, Amara Aquilla manifested her powers, Selene was buried, leaving August alone. Growing weary of ruling Nova Roma, August decided to travel the world.

During one such trip to Calcutta, August was met by a mysterious woman that asked for her help. Unknown to August, this was in fact Selene.

When the woman's true form was revealed, Selene asked her daughter to join her in the Hellfire Club. Not being one for wealth and fortune, August turned down the offer. A fight ensued and August was stripped of almost all of her powers, except her flame powers and super strength.

Selene did not kill her daughter outright, she thought it a much better punishment to take away her immortality, leaving her mortal. Then August continued drifting around the world.

When she neared the United States, she saw a broadcast of a group of mutant superheroes called 'the X-Men' and decided to travel to New York to see if she could join them. Needless to say, she was happily accepted and became a valued member. She also began a relationship with her fellow teammate KurtWagner.

Alas, all this was not to last. Selene hatched a plan to release Dr Doom from Hell. Doom had been trapped there during an earlier battle with the Fantastic 4.

After releasing Doom, they hatched a plan to take over the world. They also created an alliance with the ruler of Limbo, Blackheart who had taken over thanks to Selene. The deadly alliance did not hesitate to begin their campaign of terror. Many fell during their first attempt to conquer the Earth, including August's then fiancé, Kurt. She remembered that day she came home to the mansion and found them all dead. Except for Kurt, Selene and her demons had kept him alive just so she could kill him right in front of her eyes.

Selene remembered a prophecy that Blackheart and told her about a daughter killing the mother and thinking that it was August. So Doom and Blackheart hatched a plot to kill her. But the one single strand of decency happened to still be alive in Selene's had convinced them to lock August away to a secret Limbo prison before she could be killed. That is where August lies today, waiting for death and maybe to be one day reunited with her love on the other side.

**Later-**  
  
Strange, Morph and Vincent have removed their collars and have now released the others. 'God I'm glad that's over!' Blink thinks to herself. 'That damn cell reminded me too much of Sinister's and the experiments.' She shudders slightly from the memory of that horrible time in her life. 'That's a point in my life I just want to forget now we just need to find August.'

"What does the PADD say, Blink?" Heather asks. "Are we anywhere near our girl?"  
  
"The PADD says that her cell should be just around the corner." Blink replies seeing a short-range map pop up in it. The PADD seemed to have a built in tracking device that somehow was calibrated to the Exiles. Blink had discovered it by accident while trying to look up some information, but she wasn't complaining.  
  
Sure enough, August's cell is around the next corner. That much can be seen by the amount of guards guarding the door.  
  
"I'll take care of these guys." Vincent says seriously with a dark expression on his face. "I hate being locked up, so I owe them one." A grim expression on his face, as his eyes take on a crimson glow.  
  
"Any particular reason?" Morph asks seeing his expression.  
  
"I was locked up as a kid...let's just leave it at that for now." Vincent replies grimly after a couple of seconds.  
  
"I'll help." Val adds. "The sooner we get rid of these guys and get this August chick, the sooner I can kick Doom's ass."  
  
"You've gotta love a girl with a plan." Vincent grins.  
  
**Outside August's cell-**  
  
The guards outside Augusts' cell are distracted by an attractive blonde human girl sidling up to them. "Hey stud." The girl coos seductively. "You lookin' for a good time?"  
  
One of the guards gets a lecherous smile on his face and leans down to kiss the girl. Their lips are no more than mere millimeters apart when Val snatches up the demon's knife and slits his throat with it. The other guards just look in amazement as Val drops the guard's corpse to the ground.  
  
"You're gonna pay for that girlie!" One guards growls.  
  
"I tend to differ in the matter." Vincent replies as Val drops the invisibility field around him. The demon guards hardly have enough time to gather their weapons when Vincent incinerates them with an energy blast.  
  
"So, do you wanna open the door or shall I?" Val asks.  
  
"Ladies first." Vincent replies gesturing to the door. Val just smiles brightly as she uses an invisible force field to knock down the door to August's cell. They step in and see a bedraggled raven-haired young woman cowered in a corner.  
  
"There's no need to be afraid." Vincent says in a calming voice slowly walking towards her. "We're here to rescue you."  
  
"Not that I'm ungrateful or anything." August replies and for the first time in her life hope is coming back into her life. She doesn't know who some of these people are but she doesn't care. "But it'll be a little difficult for me to escape with this restraining collar."  
  
"I'll take care of that." Val replies, stepping up and using the horsehair idea on August's collar. With her restraining collar gone, August grabs Val in a huge hug. The last time she had seen Val was a couple of years ago when she had gone to Dr. Strange for help with her magic abilities.  
  
"It's wonderful to see you again Val!" August grins.  
  
"I don't want to break up the bonding ceremony but we have to get going." Vincent says. "We're kinda on a schedule."  
  
August follows them out of the cell towards the others.  
  
**Later-**  
  
The Exiles, August and Dr. Strange and his associates carefully creep into Blackheart's throne room. As soon as they rescued August, Blink announced that their mission had apparently changed; they now had to dispose of Blackheart so that Amanda Sefton could regain her rightful pace as the ruler of Limbo.  
  
Fortunately for them, Blackheart is asleep on his throne, the Soul Sword lying across his knee.  
  
Amanda carefully crept toward the sleeping demon. She carefully inched closer to pick up the Soul Sword. She needed the Soul Sword to cement her rule over Limbo. No sooner has she taken the sword in her hands then Blackheart wakes up with a start. The Exiles, hidden away, gasp in shock. Before the colossal demon can say a word of warning, Amanda swings the Soul Sword around, cleanly cutting off his head. The Exiles sigh in relief as the demon's head bounces onto the floor.  
  
"Nice work Amanda." Blink says. "I guess that you're the leader of Limbo again."  
  
"I somehow doubt that." A voice says from behind them. Our heroes turn and see Selene and Dr. Doom standing in the doorway, flanked by yet another army of demons.  
  
"Will you hand over the Soul Sword peacefully or will I have to take it from you?" Selene asks then with a predatory grin on her face. "Please say that I have to take it. That's always more fun."  
  
"The day that I hand over the Soul Sword to you is the day you pry it from my cold, dead hands." Amanda replies angrily.  
  
"Very well." Selene says. "If that's the way you want it. Minions, attack!"  
  
Then all Hell breaks loose (literally!) The army of demons surges forwards to battle the heroes. The heroes do not falter; they meet the demonic hoard with equal force, not giving an inch. Blink throws her teleportation lances, Vincent incinerates them with energy blasts, and his uses super- speed and strength with his combat skills, Heather and Morph smash them with their fists, Dr Strange blasts them with magic, Wanda hexes them, Val blasts them with invisible force fields, Amanda uses the Soul Sword and August blasts them with fireballs.  
  
Val fights her way through the demons and makes her way towards Doom. "You'll pay for killing my family." She hisses.  
  
Doom just snorts contemptuously under his cold metallic mask. "Your powers are useless against me Valeria, I can use the powers of Hell itself!" Val shields herself with an invisible force field as Doom blasts her with a huge ball of magic.  
  
"Tel me tell you something Doomsie." Val says. "Your magical armor may protect you from my invisible force fields but what about an enchanted dagger?"  
  
Doom watches as Val takes out an ornate-looking dagger. "That isn't...?"  
  
"The Blade of Haraxis?" Val asks. "The only blade that can disrupt any and all magic, apart from the Soul Sword? You certainly got that right!" Doom barely has time to defend himself as Val launches herself at him and buries the dagger deep into his chest. He lets out one last gurgle of surprise as he falls down dead. Val leans down and plucks the dagger out of Doom's chest and throws it to August.  
  
"An enchanted dagger cannot hurt me." Selene laughs. "I am immortal!"  
  
"That's where you're wrong, mother." August replies. "Disruption of magic isn't the blade's only power, it can kill immortals too!"  
  
"You're bluffing." Selene says glaring at her child.  
  
"There's only one way to find out." August replies with a grin.  
  
Selene attempts to blast her wayward daughter with a fireball but August rolls out of the way and throws the dagger. The dagger flies through the air and imbeds itself in Selene's stomach. The sorceress lets out a surprised gurgle as her body begins to disintegrate. Soon, all that is left of Selene and the dagger is a pile of dust.  
  
"That was for Kurt you bitch." August mutters to herself, her eyes misting up slightly. With their mistress dead, the demons surrender, the fight taken out of them.  
  
**Later-**  
  
With the battle done, and the villains disposed of, the Exiles and their allies are back in Dr. Strange's only now in a large living room with man strange furnishings and they are all relaxing after their battle. The Guardian makes an appearance to them all they are a little surprised at his rugged appearance.

"Dude! What happened to you?" Morph asks him.

"I ran into a little trouble, nothing to worry about though." He assures them. Although behind his masked feelings he is worried about what he had come across. Magical forces like that weren't normally found in realities like that one. He knew it was Dark Circle or another group just like them that those triplets had worked for. But which group and for what reasons he would never know.

"I take it you got all those people to a safe place?" Vince asked the strange man in black.  
  
"Yes, it wasn't as easy as I thought since there are always those that want to stay behind and fight to the last." He says while brushing off some dust. "And I see things here have turned out well."  
  
Then the Guardian sees August looking lost over to the side and he moves to her. "I know what you have lost and I know you feel a void in your life with everyone you cared for gone because of Selene and Doom." He says in a caring voice. "So I want to give you a choice to join the Exiles, maybe with them you can find a new purpose for your life."  
  
August takes a moment to consider it all. His words had hit home for her, she has no one waiting for her, no reason to fight for or to live for anymore in this world. And it's just too painful, everything in this world only reminds her of what she had lost. "I think I will...if you really want me."  
  
The Guardian smiles kindly at the woman and nods. The Exiles then bid Dr. Strange and the others goodbye.  
  
"Are you absolutely sure that you want to leave?" Dr Strange asks. "You could still have a place here August."  
  
"It's not like I have much left to live for." August replies mournfully. "My fiancé's dead, so are my fiends and family. Besides, if I went with these guys I might actually do some good."  
  
"We'll miss you." Val sniffs, hugging August.  
  
"Hey, buck up kiddo." August replies, returning the hug. "At least you kicked Doom's ass."  
  
"I suppose that I did." Val grins wiping her eyes.  
  
August then turns to bid the others a final goodbye. "Well, I'd better be going now." She says she goes and stands with the others. Morph thinks on something. "Hey didn't the others where we left TJ said that their Kurt was on a mission with this woman named August? You don't think...naw. What are the odds of that?" Morph doesn't see the slight smirk on Guardian's face.

Dr Strange and company wave goodbye and they disappear in a flash.  
  
**END...  
  
NEXT: NEW HOME**


	6. New Home

**The New Exiles  
By Agent-G And The Uncanny R-Man  
Shout Outs:**

Winblades: You'll see him in action in a much later chapter...against a Darksider to boot. And there may be other elements as well that may pop up. It's a big multiverse.

celtcath74: Well they already did in Going Home, since that was one of R-Man's story worlds, but they'll go back there and to my AGU series too later on.

Hedgehog: Let's just say that he's been around a long time and picked up a LOT in that time, including how to fight. Although I prefer powerful immortal warrior then demi-god, he hates that term. And you'll see a lot more about his past as more is slowly revealed.

Ruby631: Oh yeah he'll still be in this, but look out for a new person to show up.

Red Witch: Well I'm glad you still read it.

* * *

**Chapter 6: New Home**  
  
The mutants appeared in a flash found themselves in a large white room metallic room. There was a control panel that looked like it came out of Star Trek in one end and they were standing on a pure black reflected circle several meters in radius.  
  
"So now what?" Morph asked Guardian.  
  
He merely smiled at them. "Now I show you around your new home."  
  
"Home?" Heather asked him slightly confused. "What do you mean by that?"  
  
"Unlike the person you used to work for, not only will I give you some time off from time to time, but I also wanted to have for you a place of your own. This facility is equipped with technology that I have come across and other things as well. This room alone is the transport room that can send you into nearly any dimension or reality."  
  
"Nearly?" Vincent asked him.  
  
"Yes well...let's just say that some places are a little...let's just say dark, and you wouldn't want to go there so I locked those places out." He said to them.  
  
"I was stuck in Limbo how worse can it get?" August asked him.  
  
"I could tell you...but you'd only get nightmares for the rest of your life if I did." He said seriously and the look he gave said he meant it.  
  
"Okay, I think I'll take your word for it." She said deciding it's better not to know.  
  
"Hey before we get started, how about my stuff." Vincent said to him.  
  
"Ah yes, I took it out of storage and put it in your room. Don't worry, and Blink when I got the time I'll show you how to add things so they don't get sent to storage and how to call on anything in the storage area too there as well for the PADD, just in case you need supplies for a mission."  
  
"That should be helpful." She said to him. "There were times when that would have been useful.  
  
He opened the large doors that opened just like in Star Trek. They made their way around the place, which as they soon discovered was like a small palace. It had high ceilings and looked like old or ancient architecture but with futuristic style to it. They also saw various robotic forms too. Some were sleek and shiny others a little more boxy. They were all in certain colors. "So what's with all the robots?" Morph asked him.  
  
"Well I can't very well take care of this place, I mean it is very big and I am a busy person so they are here to do maintenance and clean up mainly. Although there are defensive units, but I have never had the need to use them as of yet."  
  
"Sweet!" Morph exclaimed.  
  
"Where are we exactly?" August ask their guide.  
  
"We are, we're currently on the world New Haven. This reality is a 'safe reality' as I like to call it. It's basically a reality devoid of all intelligent life so there was plenty of room to go around for all those that had nowhere to go so I sent them here to star over, it also has a unique quantum signature to 'hide' it from those that would do harm to this place. This entire reality is one big sanctuary."

"And this is." He said extending his arms. "Is the Complex as I call it, is close to one of the main cities called Central Haven or just Heaven City the first city ever build on this world. When you get some time off I'll show you the city." He told them all. The Exiles were really starting to like their new life so far.  
  
They had a home, time to relax instead of constantly moving and being put into danger, and they were near a city where they could have a normal social life also.  
  
He took them to the briefing room as he called it first. It was a large room with a table in the center and what he called a vid-screen and a table with a holoprojector inside of it. The vid screen as he explained it was basically like a plasma TV only better, and there were lots of them around the place.  
  
Next was the library, which was about as big as a major city's. There were books of course but the majority of information was put on these little clear rectangular devices called data slips, which fed into a device called a data-reader.  
  
"You can find a lot of information here and if you need any assistance just ask our librarian over there, Angus." Guardian told them pointing to a robot behind a desk looking over some data on a holo-screen.  
  
"Angus?" Heather asked amused at the name.  
  
"Well I name the ones that have an actual personality." He admitted to them. "Oh and Vince, I left a few things in your room so you can get caught up on certain things on other worlds as I did with the rest of you, I want you all informed and up to date from now on so none of you are at a loss for what's going on."  
  
"Thanks, I hate being left out of the loop." The Canadian said to him. There were a few other agreements there since that had happened too many times to count between them. They moved on and they saw that they had a huge indoor pool area with a windowed ceiling. Then they moved to a large recreation room with lots of things to keep someone occupied, even a few things that none of them had seen.  
  
"What no arcade?" Morph asked joking.  
  
"That's next door." Guardian said and pointed to a door. "It's sound proof for obvious reasons."  
  
They moved on and stopped at the dinning room. It was all wood and there was a large fancy table in it. "Well you all should be hungry so why don't you get something to eat and we can talk."  
  
"What about you?" Blink asked him.  
  
"I don't need to eat unless I have to or want to plus I want to make sure a few things are ready." He told them smiling. "Alfred." He said to no one. Then a transparent green person with no features appeared.  
  
"Yes sir?" Came an upper class British voice.  
  
"Everyone this is Alfred. He's the main AI that runs the Complex and if you need help or have any questions please ask him." He told them then he bowed to them and left through one of the doors.

"How very Batman of you." Morph said while looking like the Alfred of the Batman universe.  
  
"Will you all like to see a menu or do you know what you would like to eat?" Alfred asked them. They all asked what they could have and after he told them he was capable of getting anything they wished they all voiced what they wanted and were surprised that a few robot servants came in and carried their food in under five minutes.  
  
"Is it just me or does this guy really go all out?" Heather asked the others. They all nodded in agreement.  
  
"So what exactly are we doing now? I mean working for you and all and why did Cal and the others get to go home?" Blink asked their host. "I mean I thought we were unstuck in time?"

Guardian put his hands together and sighed. "By now you should know that the Timebroker lied about a lot of things. Such as you 'repairing the timeline' was all false. The Tallus you were given, even that lied to you and misled you." Blink looked down at her arm where the Tallus had been. After they had dropped off Cal she had thrown the thing far into the distance, never wanting to se it again.

"Take you're first mission. It was cryptic on purpose so that you would free Xavier and his X-Men would go on a rampage."

"But we stopped that!" Morph said in their defense.  
  
"True...but at what cost?" He said to him. "All those people that Xavier hit with his psychic blast were nearly killed, some of them did die, and the economic collapse from him destroying Wall Street was devastating. I could go on, like how Illyana wasn't supposed to kill the Heroes for Hire, or have Japan fall, and well...I could go one but you get the point."

"As for the unstuck in time thing, that was pure bull. You all were pulled from your realities against your will. Timebroker was created from your subconscious but you did not create him. He was created by a group called the Dark Circle."

"I really don't like the sound of that." Morph said getting a little uneasy.

"You shouldn't." Guardian said flatly. "They seed chaos, destruction and death to other realities, either for their own ends, to conquer or...for fun. They were also behind the Weapon X group and other 'Exiles' as well."

"You mean like how Timebroker said that there were more groups?" Morph asked him. When he was given the chance to go home, Morph had turned down the Timebroker.

"Yes, some before you...other kike you." He saw the confused look and began to explain. "You see there are an infinite number of realities, and therefore an infinite number of possibilities. There are also many versions of yourselves as some of you have seen. Now they've taken other versions of you so close in fact they are virtually identical. They are still under the thumb of a Timebroker and still going around. Some have done the exact same missions as you, others haven't."

"Whoa man, you're like blowing my mind man." Morph said while looking like a stoner from the 70's.

"Morph!" Heather said sharply. "Let the man continue."

Guardian nodded his head. "Thank you. Now I chose your group to 'liberate' from their influence, and before you ask why, I just picked one of the groups that showed the most promise. Now this group took you from your worlds by using the Timebrokers as their mediums. You could have gone back anytime you wanted to. All that stuff he said about time was a lie. Time has a way of fixing itself and people don't just get sent to other realities like you first did."

"When this first started with you Blink and Morph and the original group, did it ever occur to you how strange it was that all of you just happened to be in the same place at the same time?" Blink and Morph looked at each other. They never thought of that, it was kind of a big coincidence. "And when Beak wasn't 'seen' by his girlfriend and kids? He was hidden by Timebroker's powers to help convince you're group that you were unstuck in time."

"So...now what?" Blink asked him. It all seemed to make sense now, all the missions, the deaths, the losses...it was all for this Dark Circle. She was filled with rage at the moment but kept it down, now wasn't the time to take her frustrations out.

"I want you to help me. Help me to help other worlds. To fight the Dark Circle, their allies, others like them. To prevent or stop certain things from happening. You won't be 'fixing time' as you were led to believe; now you will actually make a difference in many worlds. You will give hope and light to the darkness, to save life and fight evil. You can quit at anytime and go wherever you want to, so what do you say...will you except your new roles as heroes for the multiverse?"

"Well you got us from under Timebroker's thumb and kicked his ass." Morph said smiling. "I say we owe you, plus...it will be nice to feel like what we do actually matters for once. A lot of the missions felt like we didn't do anything good at times."

"I agree with Morph." Blink said in a commanding voice. "We got a lot to make up for."

"Plus this place is a nice place to make a home for us, something those of us in the Exiles never had." Heather said from her seat. She missed her real home but she too felt she was needed here, and to try and make up for her past actions.

"Well it's better then living in some ruined buildings." Vincent said.  
  
"Or being trapped in Limbo." August agreed.  
  
"Or living in a world ruled by Apocalypse." Blink put her own two cents in. After their meal Guardian showed them a few places like the training center and the garden. It was a huge place filled with many plants from many worlds some not even of any version of Earth.  
  
The training area had a large gym with all kinds of equipment and four different training areas. They were reinforced with what he called neo- titanium and force fields. They also could simulate any environment or experience and even higher levels of gravity for a real workout. There were even windows up on the upper level so others could watch.  
  
Next was the all-important large medical ward. It looked kind of like the rest of the place all futuristic and stuff. Heather being a doctor looked like she was in heaven with all the advance medical equipment. "I think some of you might like this next part." He said smiling. "Computer, activate the Doc."  
  
Then appeared a balding man in a white futuristic medical coat. "Please state the name of the medical emergency." He said automatically.  
  
"You got the doctor from Voyager here!" Morph said, not believing what he was seeing.  
  
"I'm more advanced then that EMH." He said. "And please call me Doc."  
  
The Doc showed them around and even the healing room, which held ten tubes that he said that were used in extreme circumstances to heal others. Basically they put you in and a liquid that not only feeds you with oxygen is pumped in but also speeds up the healing process. The only problem is that you have to empty your lungs of the stuff and it's not a good sensation. Heather kept on asking all kind of medical questions and the Doc agreed to start teaching her the equipment and the advanced medical knowledge he had.

"There's one more thing I think you all should see." Guardian said in a serious tone. The Doc nodded his head and led them through a set of double doors and down a small hall. "This is the isolation ward, for...intensive care patients."

The other doors opened and Blink and Morph were at a loss. There was a moment of silence then Blink was the first to speak. "John?" She said in a whisper. On a medical bed was John Proudstar AKA Thunderbird one of the first of the Exiles. He was a large nine-foot tall man with a protruding chin and a long face. His upper body was flesh and black and red 'armor plates' that felt like skin.

In his world he was an X-Man, then Apocalypse had gotten his hands on him and altered him with Techo-organic cybernetics and genetic manipulation to recreate him as his horseman of war. He turned on his 'master' and now was a different man then he was. He had considered himself a monster because what was done to him and then he was taken from his reality and made an Exile.

On the missions he had grown close to T.J. They became lovers and she was pregnant with his child. But on the world with the Skrulls had taken over and he and the others had been force to fight in gladiator games. Then Galactus showed up and the Skrulls had ran and they and the other heroes of Earth had to fight the Devourer of Worlds. In that battle many died but John had been the one to finish off the greatest threat to that universe. With a powerful anti-matter bomb he shoved it into the back of a weakened demi-god and it exploded taking out the most feared being in existence. But it came at a cost. Thunderbird had been greatly injured his body had healed...but his mind...it was like his mind was gone. They were forced to leave him behind as they were sent on. Until today they never knew what became of him.

Blink and Morph were sitting next to him as Guardian explained all of this to Vincent and August. Heather had been told all of this since she had been his replacement. "I found him a while ago and brought him here. I've tried to help him, his body is finally healed...but his mind...I just don't know how to fix it."

"What do you mean you don't know?" Morph said angrily seeing his old friend still in a coma. "I thought you were the all powerful answer man?"

"I'm NOT all powerful. Yes I do have certain abilities like Immortality, time and dimensional and teleportation. I can shift through time, I can heal fatal wounds and I can go into the spirit realm. I've learned a lot of tricks over the years like ki and chi manipulation, and magic. I've learned under some of the best teachers in many fields and I can see into the possible futures and the past. I can do all that but I still have limitations. I can die, I can't just bring someone back by snapping my fingers, even though I wish I could...I just can't do some things...not alone at least."

"What's wrong?" Blink asked him holding John's limp hand.

"A person is made up of three parts. The physical part is the body, the non-physical is the spirit and the brain is the link between both of these parts." Guardian walked over to the bed and looked down sadly at him. "His body is healed...but his spirit is gone...his mind is also damaged...at least not physically but something is wrong with it. If we can fix his brain then maybe it will pull in his spirit."

"Can't you just pull his spirit back into the body or something?" Morph asked trying to think of something to help.

Guardian shook his head. "He died in another reality then his own...his spirit is a bit, well, 'lost' I guess you could say. And normally I would make a deal with the higher powers that be in whatever reality for a certain soul...but I don't have any pull or collateral for his or the reality where his soul might have ended up in...the only way to wake him is to fix his mind...or...he has to find his way back to himself."

He placed a hand on Blink's shoulder. "I promise you I will do everything in my power and knowledge to try and help him."

She looked up and him. "I know." She simply said, she had only known him for a short time but she trusted him to help.

"I've tried most scientific ways...then I'll work on other ways like magic to help him but I don't want to use that until I have to because of all the technology in his body."

"Because magic and technology don't mix well if not done properly." August spoke up. She and the other three Exiles had stood in the back while all this was going on since none of them knew John since he was before their time. She saw the looks the others were giving her. "I...used to be into magic. Remember who my mother was? Well I got into some...dark magic and I lost myself because of it." Everyone could see how uncomfortable she was with it. "I went evil because of it and when I got better...I swore off magic forever after that, so I know a bit about magic and what do to, and what not to do."

Guardian nodded. "Yes, mixing science and sorcery is always tricky at best because the slightly mistake can be disastrous."

It was getting late he showed wanted to show them their rooms, he said that they could come and visit John anytime they wanted to. They all had rooms in the same hall and there was a smaller kitchen/dining area across from the rooms also.

August looked in her room and was thrilled at it. It was a huge opened area, like a suit at a fancy hotel, after being in a cell for so long this was paradise. She found a walk-in closet with a few articles of clothing, a living room set with one of those vid-screens and a dresser, dinning table and a balcony. On the balcony she could see the outside and other balconies to the sides.  
  
She went back inside and lay down on the bed enjoying it. Then she remembered why she was enjoying it and all the memories came back. Her mother freeing Doom, the death of her friends. But what hurt her the worst was Kurt's death. They were supposed to be married by now, and he was gone. She remembered the first time they met, the time he proposed to her, the last time they had been in bed together and had held each other after making love.  
  
She reached over to the other side of the bed and instead of the warm, furry body of her love she only found the cold sheets. She started to cry at that point. She had never had the opportunity to properly grieve for her losses until now. She needed to let it out.  
  
In her own room Heather was at a balcony in her room looking at the setting sun. She was wishing her husband were here with her. This place was so nice, and she missed him and everything. 'Maybe I can ask The Guardian about him later?' She wondered. 'If we aren't unstuck then maybe I can see him again...God it's been so long...nearly a year since I've seen him.'

Morph was in his room and after about five minutes was able to figure out the remote enough to activate the vid-screen and look up the menu. "Man isn't there anything good on?"

Alfred appeared then. "Is there anything I can help you with sir?"

Morph jumped at the sudden appearance. "Jeez! Give a guy a heads up! Anyway isn't there anything more 'entertaining' on this thing?"

"I'm not sure I understand you're meaning."

"Can you get porn on this thing?" He asked outright.

"Well...no...but if you _actually_ want to...I could get some select choices from New Heaven mainframe and download them."

"Sweet! Do it, my main holographic man!" Morph shouted and waited for the download to finish up. He was surprised and pleased it didn't take long.  
  
Later on as night had fallen, Blink wasn't that tired as she looked around her room but couldn't find anything interesting. She had put all her stuff away had found a few replicas of her normal wear and after a nice long hot shower and a change she had and decided to go for a walk. So much had changed in the short time. This new guy The Guardian as he called himself was already a lot better then their old 'boss' as it were.  
  
'What ever he did with him, I hope he locked him up for a very long time.' Clarice thought with a grin, considering how she and the others had been used by him he deserved it. And she had to admit having a place to call home again was nice. She, Heather and Morph had been constantly going for so long she was just glad for a break. She walked along the white walls and marveled at all the intricate little designs on them.  
  
It was like a palace she used to dream of living as a little girl, and she could really see herself living here. She passed a transparent door and saw someone sitting in the garden she opened the door and walked out.  
  
In the heart of the large garden she found Vincent. At first she didn't know who it was. He had shaved, and cleaned himself up. He was actually attractive without all the grime and dirt and this hair cleaned and combed.  
  
"What are you up too?" She asked him. He and August were new to her team and she knew she should get to know them, and this was a perfect time for it.  
  
"Looking at the stars." He said to her and she sat down and looked up with him. She was surprised at how clearly they were here. "I've never really got the chance in my world. I lived in the city and with all the light you can't really see the night sky that well. Then when the Sentinels came...well...it was too dangerous to go out at night." He said solemnly.  
  
Blink could relate. After Apocalypse had taken over things were dangerous all around. "Yeah, you never really appreciate things until their gone, especially the little things." She said sadly thinking of all the things she missed in her childhood and of her recent loss of the man she cared for.  
  
She shivered slightly. Her green clothing left little protection for the night air. Vincent saw this and took of his coat and gave it too her. "Here you need this more then me."  
  
She took it and put it on her shoulders. "Can't sleep?"  
  
"I only need about six hours of sleep normally but...I don't sleep well anyways...too many nightmares." He said darkly.  
  
Blink was silent for a moment. "Yeah...it's hard to sleep when having to worry about what you're going to dream about." Vincent looked at her and for the first time could see a kindred spirit in the girl. He didn't know much about her own past but he could see the pain in her face and eyes, pain that somehow mirrored his own.  
  
It was pain that he could see also, pain he knew all too well, the pain of loss, of seeing friends die, and of living in a ruined world. They continued to talk while looking up at the stars, they soon found themselves laying on the marble walkway staring up at the sky and comparing their life stories.  
  
Blink was getting a lot out. She felt she could tell him things that the others wouldn't really understand living in their own worlds. August may have lost everything she had cared for but her world still lived on. The others didn't know what it was like to live in a dark world. She talked about how she had been saved by Creed and had joined the X-Men in her world. She left out the things before that...those were days she didn't want to think about. She told him of some of her adventures as an Exile and all the things they had been forced to do.

He talked about growing up in the streets then being brought into an orphanage at seven years old and how he lived his life in Toronto, his friends, his old sensei, his training in bushido and then the later years when everything started to go to hell.  
  
She tried to stifle a yawn. She had no idea how long they had been talking. "You should get some rest Blink." Vincent said to her.  
  
"Yeah I feel like I could get some sleep now." She picked herself up and gave him back his coat. "Are you coming in?"  
  
"I think I'll stay out here for the night." He said to her. She gave him a strange look. "I haven't slept outside without any fear in years...I think it will be nice. Besides I want to see the sun rise for once."  
  
She nodded her head. "Goodnight then, and Vince...thanks...for talking."  
  
He looked at her from his place on the ground and smiled. "Anytime...it's good to talk to someone, you know?" She nodded and went off to her room. Then she stopped and looked around. That is if she could find it.  
  
While in another part of the complex The Guardian was in a domed room. The room was filled with smooth black metal that looked like the room was poured instead of built. In the center of the dark room he stood up on high on a raised platform.  
  
There were holographic controls that he seemed to manipulate with mere gestures all the while he had his eyes closed. What he did didn't need the kind of sight his eyes had only that of his mind. Around him a storm of holographic windows with images in them moved around him in no pattern. This was the Nexus. It was a place that allowed him to focus his mind onto other realities, to see what needs to be seen. To him this was his Cerebro his way of focusing his mind only into other realities. His brain now worked with more the thirty percent use and he could do more then any normal human mind.  
  
One image stopped and came down to his face. He opened his eyes and looked at the image. 'Yes, he shall be perfect for the newest member of the Exiles.' He thought to himself. He looked into the possible futures of this man and didn't like what he saw.  
  
Normally a person had many 'roads' in his life. Some of these led to the same places in their life, nearly all of them went to the same place, Death. 'I'll have to keep an eye on him. As soon as the team is rested I'll send them to him. He'll need them soon.' He thought and then shut down The Nexus.

* * *

**NEXT UP: Meet Chamber**


	7. Meet Chamber

**The New Exiles  
By Agent-G And The Uncanny R-Man**  
  
_Shout Outs-_

TheLegendaryManHimself: Glad you like the new version and the changes. And if John does wake up it will be a LOT for him to take in. Yeah I can't wait to get to the AGU part either.

X-Over: Glad you like it, but the team won't get THAT many members that would be too much to handle at this point. Weapon X will be back also but with all new members, and if you got anything helpful then please send it.

Ruby: Technically he's in a coma not dead but I hear ya. And as for Mariko...you'll see.  
  
Winblades: Glad you liked the changes.

Thanks to: Red Witch

* * *

**Chapter 7: Meet Chamber**

In the middle of nowhere, somewhere in the Canadian wilderness there is a complex in there that officially does not exist. It is one of the bases used the organization Weapon X. High up in the hills the snow covered area is densely populated by trees and wilderness.  
  
A sudden shattering of glass breaks the tranquil silence of the place and a gunshot can be heard for miles, but there is no one else around to hear it.  
  
A man who had just jumped through the window lands hard on the snow covered ground. "Bullocks!" He curses with a British accent and gets up and started to run. He turns slightly and fires a telekinetic blast of energy at the window destroying it and runs off at full speed.  
  
Several figures appear as the smoke clears. They are Wild Child a miniature Sabertooth wannabe with feral features, clawed fingers. Agent X a man covered in scars including an X scare on his face and was fully armed; he currently holds a smoking gun, the same gun that had broken the silence earlier.  
  
Another is a now a beautiful Marrow. Gone now are all the bone growths covering her body as she was now looked like a normal person again, before her mutation. The last is the winged reptile Sauron, a mutant that looks like a cross between a green pterodactyl and a man.  
  
"You missed." Sauron hisses at Agent X.  
  
The other man glares at him. "I didn't miss, look you extinct lizard." He points to a trail of blood on the ground. "I nailed him in the shoulder, it shouldn't be hard not to find this guy now with a blood trail to follow."  
  
"Do we really have to do this?" Marrow asked them. She had liked him, at least a bit better then the others here and it didn't feel right to take out one of them, not like this.  
  
"The boss man said to kill this guy, he was doing nothing but spying on us." Agent X tells her. "Besides the boss will likely turn you back into what you were if you don't do this, do you really want that?"  
  
"NO!" Marrow screams out. The thought of going back to her old self, covered in bones all over her body the old ugly her that forced her to live with the Morlocks in the sewers, is horrifying to her.  
  
The man who they are trying to kill is Jonothon Evan Starsmore AKA the mutant known as Chamber. He clutches his wounded shoulder as he runs through the forest.  
  
'This is just great, first I find out that Sinister of all people are in charge of this place and then he finds out Xavier sent me there to spy on him. I just can't win.' He stops and takes a moment to rip the bottom of his shirt into a few strips and tries to tie them around the wound in his shoulder under the long leather coat he wore.  
  
'Luckily the bullet went right through.' He winces as he tightens it. 'I may freeze without most of my shirt but I'll bleed to death before that happens.' Once again he starts to run off.  
  
'I can't believe I let Xavier talk me into doing this. First the girl I loved which I was a total idiot to let her go to begin with, doesn't want me anymore and worse she's going out with that soddin' priss fancy boy Warren now. I mean just how old and how wrong is THAT?' He fumed to himself. He was still not exactly sorry the he had clocked Warren one.  
  
He jumps a fallen log on the way down a steep hill, being careful not to fall. 'Okay so Paige is seeing another guy and there is no way I want to be around the Institute anymore with them making eyes at each other. So I leave, and I got nowhere else to go. So what happens, Xavier wants to know what is going on inside Weapon X and I get coned by that baldheaded telepath to do it.'  
  
'I mean sure my life sucked at the moment, and I was an idiot to take it, but I felt I would be doing something worthwhile. Play the spy, be the hero. There's one important thing I learned about spy work. James Bond films lie.'  
  
He allowed himself a short rest as what he had done went back into his mind. He was ordered to kill a man and in order to keep his cover what did he do? He killed. It sickens him how easily it came after all was said and done, and there was no way he could ever look into the eyes of Paige again after that. How could he? And what would she saw to him if she found out? How would she LOOK at him?  
  
He pushed himself off the tree he had been resting on and ran on. 'Now that I found out about Sinister's little secret, now what do I do? Xavier is gone off somewhere to find his bloody self and left me in the cold. The others have no idea where I am or what I have been doing.'  
  
'It figures that my life would come to this. I've never been lucky at anything for long. First my powers blow of my sodding jaw and part of my upper chest. I get a great girl that I can never kiss, I lose said girl. Now after a small miracle by Sinister of all people I got my jaw and missin' chest back.'  
  
Chamber laughs a little to himself. 'I can eat again, kiss again, talk without constantly sending my thoughts into other people's heads. But the one thing I always wanted to do I can't. Ever since we were going out I wanted to kiss Paige, just once to know what it was like. Now that I can I can't. Yeah, my life is completely buggered.'  
  
He ran and ran his lungs burning with the effort. But he couldn't stop not now or they will find him. But the question was where was he running to? He had nowhere to go but he pushed the thought aside, he would think on that after he was a safe distance away.  
  
He suddenly found himself in an open space. 'Great going you soddin' git. You're a sitting duck here.' He decided to make a dash for it and tried to run across the open field. Then suddenly a high pitched screech filled the air. One he knew all too well.  
  
"Bugger me all day!" He yelled and looked up in the sky to see Sauron dive- bombing for him. Chamber jumped out of the way and sent a blast of energy at him. Sauron had to dodge the attack but the change caused him to loose his hold on the air and he fell to the ground.  
  
Chamber knew if he were there the others wouldn't be far behind. He saw a boulder not too far and ran to it; just as he got around it a bullet hit the rock. He was lucky that he got there in time. A few more seconds later and he would have had another hole in his body. This time he was sure it would have been fatal.  
  
"Just give up and we'll make this painless. Resist and we'll just have to do it more slowly and you'll wish we had done it the easy way." Yelled out Agent X.  
  
"Sod off!" Jono yelled to him.  
  
Agent X sighed. "Why must they do it the difficult way?" He asked the others. He pulled a grenade and threw it beside the boulder. Jono saw it and knew if he ran he would be a target, but if he didn't he was dead.  
  
He started to run but the grenade went off and he felt himself lift up into the air. He landed not far away a searing pain in one of his legs. He started to crawl away. 'If I'm...going to...die...I'm...not going quietly.'  
  
He managed to turn himself over and saw his leg was bloodied and the pants were shredded, not to mention a lot of his leg too. He looked at saw them coming; Sauron too had pulled himself out of the snow and was walking angrily towards him.  
  
'So this is how it ends, huh?' He knew this was it; this was the moment of his death. 'I'm sorry Paige...I'm sorry everyone...I tried...I really did.' He tried to raise his hand and focus his energy for a blast. He wanted to take that Agent X's head clear off, if he was going down then he was taking this jerk with him. Besides he really didn't like the guy. But as he got his hand up Wild Child had come up from to his side and grabbed it forcing it down to the ground.

The rest of his 'team' gathered around him. Agent X smirked looking down at him then looked to Marrow. "Finish it."

"Me? Why me?" She asked harshly.

"Because I said so! Or are you sweet on him or something?"

Marrow looked down at him and he could see the inner conflict in her eyes. "Do it. Just make it quick." Chamber told her. He knew what would happen to her if she didn't. Marrow hesitated but then pulled out a bone 'knife' and stood over him.

"I'm sorry." She told him as she raised the knife over his heart.

"I know." Jono said weakly. He knew this was it; this was his last moments in life. At the moment in what he thought was his last sight in life a crimson beam of energy hit Marrow in the chest and sent her flying back.  
  
Something that looked like an energy lance hit Agent X's gun and it disappeared. Then a giant white version of Sasquatch jumped in and fought Wild Child. It was a short fight for the much littler man. He didn't see what had happened to Sauron but he saw a dark haired woman in black and some pale looking guy with no features on his face standing over him. He could hear the sounds of a battle but his vision was getting a little blurry and he was trying not to black out, then suddenly all the fighting he heard had stopped.  
  
He didn't have any more strength in him to raise his head and his head slumped onto the cold snow. He heard the others approach him.  
  
"Is he alright?" He heard a female voice say.  
  
He felt someone examine his leg and he let out a groan. "I don't like the look of this. He's losing too much blood and I don't like the looks of the damage." Said a female voice he could now see a black woman looking him over.

"And I've seen enough battle field wounds that looked better then this that had to be amputated." Said a male voice grimly. "We need to get him out of here right now."  
  
He would let out a laugh if he had the energy. First he loses part of his face, now that he got it back he loses a leg. The irony of it all wasn't lost on him.  
  
"Alright Vince I'm getting the teleporter on-line now." Came another female voice he couldn't see and heard some kind of electronic beeping.  
  
"Hurry Blink, I don't know how much time he has left."  
  
The last thing he felt was himself falling into darkness.  
  
"Hey man hold on!" He heard a distant voice call to him, but he felt like a million miles away now as the darkness enveloped him.

Jono woke up with, instead of a falling sensation, it was a floating one. Everything around him was green then he realized he was in some kind of liquid. He panicked and tried to breath, and after a moment found he could breath in the liquid.  
  
He looked around and saw some kind room filled with tubes. He tried to move but his whole body felt stiff and he could hardly move a muscle. Then he saw a face looking at him. For a moment he thought he was seeing things cause it looked like the Doctor from Star Trek Voyager looking at him from the other side.  
  
'I must be dreaming, no wait. If I was dreaming of Star Trek I would be dreaming of Seven of Nine and me on that holodeck thing, on a beach and her in a little white bikini.'  
  
Nice fantasy. Came a voice in his head.  
  
Who the hell is that? He sent back. Then the guy that looked like Robert Picardo moved away and a tall man all decked out in what he guessed was black was now in front of him and who obviously had telepathic abilities.  
  
What's the last thing you remember Jonothon?  
  
First off guv, call me Jono and the last thing I remember... He thought back to before he blacked out. He remembered the chase, him getting pretty messed up and then getting his British butt saved by a group of people.  
  
That was a group of mutants called the Exiles. They go to other worlds saving people and trying to make a difference, for the better. Came the voice again. He remembered something else now and tried to see his leg. Don't worry it's still there, we got one great medical plan here Juno could hear the laugh in the thoughts.  
  
So why save me? Jono asked him. There have to be better people then me in my world.  
  
You're right, there are. Jono would have glared at him if he could move his face muscles. But I also like to give people another chance at life. Life is a precious thing at times and sometimes people lose their way. They don't know what to do, or where to go. These people fall into despair and lose all hope. I like to give back what they lost to some degree. What I am trying to say is that I like to help people.  
  
Juno thought over what he said. So again...why me?  
  
I know of your life and I can feel the sorrow and pain in your soul. I can't give you the girl you lost, or a chance to change it. Jono wasn't sure but he felt a great sense of sadness to the words. Like this man had his own pain that he wished could be undone.  
  
But I can give you a new life. A chance to start over, a clean slate and a position in the Exiles if you want it. A chance to make something of your life. I won't lie to you. It will be dangerous and you may even get killed one day. But I promise you won't be alone, and your life will have meaning once again.  
  
Jono floated there in the tank for a minute thinking it over. What if I say no?  
  
Then you have your own choice. I could send you back to your world, or to one of your own choosing, provided there is no other version of you on it. The choice it yours and there are no strings attached.  
  
Jono thought about everything. What was there to go back to for him? His friends were either dead or gone from his life. The love of his life left him, he had nowhere else to go, and he was sure Sinister would be looking for him to collect his hide. And since the guy was practically immortal he had patience too.  
  
Plus there was the fact that this man's words had cut a cord in him. His life had lost all meaning. He looked at this man and he couldn't read him, his mind was too powerful, but he did get a few things. He was a lot older and more powerful then he looked. But what he really got was that he was sincere about everything he had said.  
  
Alright mate, I'll try this gig out. Not like I got any better things going for me. But tell me...what's your name?  
  
The man smiled. Call me Guardian. That will do for now, and I think you should rest now. You still got a few more hours in the tank before your healed then I can introduce you to the others and get you all started.  
  
Jono tried to nod but couldn't. He watched the man leave and he felt himself getting suddenly tired. As he fell to sleep he wondered if his life had just gotten better or worse. 'Well I was about to die...how much worse can it get?' Was his final thought as the darkness came and this time he did dream, and it was a good dream.

As Guardian left the healing chamber he saw the other Exiles for the most part waiting around for him. He smiled to them. "He'll be fine, and he's going to join us."

"Cool one more member for the team!" Morph said happily, looking like Hannibal from the A-Team.

"Where's Blink?" Guardian asked.

"She's in there with John." Vincent said pointing to the intensive care room. The immortal nodded and walked off to her to in form her of the news.

"I wasn't sure if we could have saved him to be honest." Heather said leaning back on one of the stylized sci-fi beds. "But with all this technology I'm amazed at what the Doc was able to do."

"You did help." The Doc said walking over to her. "You assistance was invaluable."

"Please." Heather said with a smile. "I felt like an intern again with you."

"Well you are still learning about all of the medical devices and their uses, but I will say you are learning fast and in a few months you should be able to do complex surgeries like that by yourself if you need to in your sleep."

"I just hope we don't need it." August said. "No offence Heather, but I really don't want to get hurt bad enough to need that, but if I do I hope you're on hand."

In the other room Blink was sitting next to John. "Hi again John. It's me Blink...I don't know if you can hear me, but...I'm sorry. I'm so sorry you had to go through this...that we had to leave you. I always hated that and I wish you had stayed with us...everything has changed since you were on the team. God I can't believe it's been over a year since it started it seemed so long ago."

She held his hand and she dropped her head slightly her short hair falling down to obscure part of her face. "I cut my hair." She said as a joke. "And...we lost so many...first I left...then I came back when...when Mariko died, Cal...left, T.J. lost the baby...and she never did get a chance to go home...she found someone and she's moved on though. She loved you, you know? She was mourning for a long time, even when she didn't show it...God I wish you were here...I mean really here, then I wouldn't feel like I failed all of you.

"You did the best you could." Came a soft voice from behind her and saw the Guardian there with a sad expression on his face. He could see the tears in her eyes the she tried to dry. "If is makes you feel any better...we all fail...even me."

"You?" She said a little surprised at this. "I'm sorry but I just can't see it."

He got a small smile for a second. "I was young once too and I made a lot of mistakes, and I've lost too many people too Clarice. I've been around for a _long_ time. I've seen friends that didn't die young, grow up, have kids, see their kids have kids, seen them all grow old and then...die." He walked next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder and she looked into is old eyes and she could see a lot in them. Wisdom, strength, an almost ageless quality...even pain and sadness.

"I believe in you and in your ability to lead. We all lose people from time to time, it's part of the way of life. But I do believe in you Clarice...if I didn't I would have chosen someone else to lead. Trust yourself you are worthy and I couldn't think of anyone better. Yes you lost a few, but you kept the Exiles alive for a long time, you saw them through some tough missions and I must say...I'm impressed. And that's hard to do nowadays."

A small smile was on her face. "Thanks." She felt a little better with the pep talk; it was nice for someone to actually say she had done well as could be expected of her as a leader.

He nodded and turned to leave then stopped suddenly and snapped his finger. "Damn I nearly forgot. Apparently Mr. Starsmore will be joining your team, he'll be healed soon so I figure you might want to know. I'll add him to the security system and assign him a room too."

She nodded her thanks. "Great, I want to meet him when he gets out and give him the lowdown."

Guardian grinned. He knew he made the right choice with this one.

**_TBC..._**

* * *

**__**

**NEXT CHAPTER 8: THIS SUCKS!**


	8. This Sucks!

** The New Exiles By The Uncanny R-Man And Agent-G**

**Shout outs:**

X-Over: Thanks for that, and I'm glad you like this.

Damn-my-name-was-taken: Yeah I think that happens to everyone now and then, don't worry about it.

Fire inu: I'll think about using the Gundams but for what I'm not sure.

Ruby631: Well I'm glad you liked him so much then lol.

* * *

**CHAPTER 8: THIS SUCKS  
****The Exiles Complex-**

Jono had gotten out of the healing tank only a couple of days ago. Although he was thankful for it, coughing up all that liquid out of his lungs after he got out gave him a whole new definition of unpleasant.

So far he was impressed with the Complex, as it was called.

The Complex had huge rooms and lots of stuff that made Xavier's look like a third class motel. Plus, the whole place turned out to be on a flat mountain surrounded by an ocean on one side and green grass and a forest on the other a small mountain range also. When he asked the Guardian about how he found a flat mountain, he said that he just took off the top and middle part off to build the place.

Jono had blinked a few times after he had said that like someone telling him how they hooked up a VCR, he suddenly realized this Guardian guy had some hidden power but to do that...well, let's just say Jono hoped he never pissed the guy off.

His new teammates were an all right lot though. Now himself and the others were in the briefing room with Guardian giving them the low down on their next mission. "Well for your next mission I have something interesting set up for all of you." He told the team.

"What? Are we going to Negative Zone now?" Morph asked.

"Okay maybe not THAT interesting." Guardian said, pressing a button that turned on a holographic projection of New York. "In this reality the Kingpin, the man in charge of most of the crime in New York area is dead."

"Sounds great so far." Jono replied. He could remember the Kingpin from his own reality and how the papers said he was dead.

"Normally yes, but he was killed and replaced by the ones that killed him." The image of New York changed to an image of two people. One was an attractive woman with long flowing dark hair and a far away look in her eyes. The other had white-slicked back hair in a black leather coat and a small scar over his left eyebrow.

"They don't look so tough." Morph said, scoffing at them. He moved his face right up to the image of the blond. "Especially this creep that looks like that guy from that show." Then their faces changed into a more demonic look with bumpy foreheads, fangs and yellow eyes. "AHHH!" Morph screamed as he fell backwards off his chair.

"These are vampires, named Spike AKA William the Bloody and Drusilla." Guardian said, smirking like a few of the others at Morph's reaction.

"Hold up." Jono said. "Aren't they from that show Buffy the Vampire Slayer?"

"Buffy the what?" Blink asked. The other Exiles were just as confused.

"Yes Jono, these are the characters from that show, but it's only a show in your world, in this one they are quite real." Guardian explained. "Now those of you that aren't familiar with vampire lore, here is the rundown."

"Anything wooden through the heart, decapitation, fire, so August you will come in real handy, and daylight can kill them. If you're squeamish about killing them, know that they're already dead and have no souls." He looked around at the faces, seeing them a little more at ease.

"They have also seem to have 'turned' a few of the villains of that world, some of you might know into vampires themselves." An image of Bullseye and Typhoid Mary appeared. "They also enlisted the aid of Morbius the living vampire too, plus a few others, so watch out when you're there."

"So we're to take them out?" Blink asked. She wasn't sure about this mission; it felt more like an assassination then saving the world.

The Guardian seemed to pick up on her train of thoughts and got very serious. "Yes you are, you see Spike is making an army of vampires and will soon rule New York. The whole city will become a blood bath and humans and mutants will end up either as vampires...or lunch." The Exiles grew very silent at the thought of that happening. August was the first one to speak up.

"Are we going to be alone in this or are there any other heroes that can help us?" She asked.

Guardian pressed another button, this time displaying an image of a young woman with long black hair, holding a wooden billy club. She was in an all red costume with long leather boots that went up to her thighs, long leather gloves that reached past her elbow, and the body of the suit had not sleeves and looked kind of like a one piece bathing suit only out of the same red material and it also covered her neck too. There was a single black D over her left breast and the mask cover the top half of her face and the back of her head, leaving her mouth area the only exposed part. The mask also had a hole in the back of it that let her long hair flow out of.

"This is Dare." He said. "She is the daughter of Matt and Elektra Murdock."

"Daredevil and Elektra?" Jono said surprised. "Geez, talk about yer Mary-Sue."

"What's a Mary-Sue?" Blink asked, not being all that familiar with fan fiction vernacular.

"A Mary-Sue is a fan fiction term for a young woman with perfect looks and powers." Vincent replied casually.

"Kinda like Jean Grey then." Morph smirked.

"And how exactly did you know this?" Heather asked with a cocky smile.

"I, uh...I used to write Matrix fan fiction." Vincent replied embarrassedly. "Before the Sentinels came, that is."

"If there are no more questions." Guardian said. "I'd like to give you your equipment for the mission."

Guardian reached into his ever-present carrying pouch and removed several vampire-related items. There were several vials of holy water, some crucifixes, and several wooden stakes.

"Use these items sparingly." The Guardian explained. "Especially the holy water, it's rather rare in that reality, as you would expect by a place over-run by vampires." Guardian handed out the items to each of the Exiles. "Vincent, I believe that you will be wanting your sword back."

"I should think so." Vincent replied. "Beheading the vampires would be rather hard without it, even if I formed an energy blade, it takes a lot of concentration to up keep and a ready sword would come in handy, plus it's more versatile too." Guardian reached out with his hand and in a flash Vincent's sword, which had been in his room, was teleported to his hand. He handed the ornately decorated katana to the mutant owner.

"How come he gets his own weapons?" Morph pouted.

"Because I was trained as a samurai." Vincent replied. "This sword was a present from my Sensei upon completing my training."

"Very 'Kill Bill'." Jono said, nodding approvingly, although Vincent didn't get reference.

Guardian then reached out under the table again and brought out more weaponry, two crossbows and two nasty-looking battle-axes. "Now, I am going to let you decide amongst yourselves who gets to use these." He said.

"Dibs on the crossbow!" Morph grins and grabs one of them.

"I'd like the axe if that's alright." Jono said with a shrug, taking the nastier looking of the two.

"I guess that just leaves the last crossbow and axe for us then Clarice." Heather said. "So what do you say Fearless Leader, crossbow or axe?"

"Crossbow." Blink replied with an evil grin. Heather picked up the remaining axe and looked at it lovingly. "Mmm, pointy..."

"If everybody is ready then." The Guardian said. "I'll meet you all in the teleportation room."

"Tally-ho!" Morph replied, swinging his crossbow about looking like a British aristocrat out for a fox hunt.

"Watch where you're swinging that thing, Morph!" August warned him. "You could have someone's eye out with that!"

**Teleportation Room-**

The Exiles had gathered in the white, and very clean teleportation room waiting for Guardian to teleport them when he walked over to a shelf on one of the walls and came back with strange small devices that looked like some kind of futuristic pager. "These are recall devices." He explained. "They'll clip to your waist, arm or any article of clothing, but the waist is the best place for them. These devices had several functions. First is that if you use this teleporter to go to some other reality you can come back by pressing the red button."

He showed them all on the spare one as the others clipped theirs on. "They also have homing devices so Blink, your PADD will be able to pick up on them more accurately with these. They are also keyed to your DNA so no one else should be able to use them." He went on to explain a few of the emergency transport buttons and after that and made sure there were no questions he sent them on their way.

**Somewhere in New York-**

The blond-haired vampire known as Spike, the new Kingpin of crime in New York City watched the view from his window up on high in the building that towered over the city. Even if it was day he could stand watching over his city as the windows of his office are made of polarized glass, keeping the Sun's rays from turning him into dust. It was one of the first things he had changed when he and his love moved in.

Spike turned as he heard somebody walk into the room. He smiled as he saw that it was Drusilla, his sire and fellow Kingpin of crime.

"Have a nice hunt, pet?" He asked.

"I didn't like it." Drusilla pouted running a hand through her long dark hair in a tone of voice that suggested she wasn't all there in the head, which she wasn't. "The Spider got stuck in my teeth."

"I guess that's another hero down." Spike said as he mentally ticked off yet another dead superhero. "So, did you turn the Wall-Crawler or did you just eat him?"

"The stars said that he wanted to join us." Dru replied. "But his blood burnt my mouth."

"Yeah, spider blood'll do that." Spike sighed.

Spike looked concernedly at his sire as she let out a fearful whine. "Dru, what's wrong, pet?"

"The stars." Dr replied. "They're screaming. They say that we're going to die."

Normally, being confronted with an insane woman spouting cryptic rubbish would be a mere annoyance for Spike but Drusilla is no normal insane woman spouting cryptic rubbish, even as a human she had the ability to predict the future, so Spike usually took notice of what she said, as soon as he could understand what the Hell she was talking about. Spike held Dru in his arms and comforted her as she sobbed into his chest.

"I don't like it Spike." Dru sniffed. "The stars have never been so mean."

"I bet it's that stupid Dare bint again." Spike growled. "I'll get Morbius to track her down personally and bring you her still beating heart."

"No, don't do that." A suddenly sane Drusilla replied. "Bring her here so we can kill her ourselves and dance in her entrails!"

"I love a woman with a plan." Spike grinned evilly.

Elsewhere-

The Exiles teleported into an abandoned warehouse in a flash of light. They took a quick look around before taking stock of the situation. "Okay then Fearless Leader." Morph said. "How are we gonna go about this? Are we gonna storm their hideout or what?"

"That's too risky." Blink replied. "Morph, you said that you guys traveled to a reality where the Avengers were vampires, right?"

"Yeah." Morph said. "That was when Magik took your place, and Mariko nearly became a vampire after she got bit, what of it?"

"I've never actually gone up against vampires before." Blink replied. "So I'm kind of at a loss as what to do."

"I might be able to help." Jono piped up. "I had a run in with Dracula once."

"You don't say." Vincent said. "What was he like?"

"Not as cool as he sees in the films." Jono replied shaking his head. "As a matter of fact, the bloody sod bit me!" Jono pulled his sleeve away from his wrist, revealing the telltale signs of a vampire bite.

"This may be a stupid question." August said. "But why didn't Dracula bite your neck like vampires usually do?"

"Cuz I didn't really have much of a neck to bite." Jono replied. "What with havin' the better part of me chest gettin' blown off."

"That still leaves us without a plan." Blink said.

"I've got a plan for ya sweetness." A voice hissed from the shadows. "How about me and my buds kill ya?" The Exiles gathered into a defensive circle as several vampires jumped out of the shadows and approached them, baring their fangs and hissing.

"You know what?" The lead vampire said. "It's been ages since I last tasted mutie blood."

"Don't count on there being a second time." Blink replied strongly getting into a fighting position. "Exiles, let's do some dusting!"

The Exiles leapt into action as the vampires leapt into attack. Blink shoved a crucifix in a vampire's face, making it back away with a hiss. This opening gave her the chance she wanted as she shot it in the chest with her crossbow. With her first vamp dusted, Blink turned to another. Vincent threw a vial of holy water at another vampire, the glass bottle shattering in its face, eliciting a howl of pain from the undead demon. Vincent then let swing with his sword, decapitating it with one clean slice.

Jono and Heather swung their axes in wide arcs, cutting off more vampire heads, turning them into so much foul-smelling dust. Heather coughed and waved away the whiff of ancient graveyard dirt. "I never knew how much vampires stank." She coughed.

"Heather, look out!" Morph yelled.

Heather turned away just in time to see a vampire leap onto her back. She turned into her Sasquatch form and flung the vampire off her back, impaling it on a conveniently placed broken crate. The vampire exploded into a cloud of dust with a scream. "Well these guys are definitely not like the ones we've fought before!"

August meanwhile, was having the time of her life as she blasted her vampires with fireballs. "I can't tell you how good it is to finally get out of that cell and kick some ass." She said with a feral grin. "At least with vampires you can actually cut loose and have some fun!"

"I'll say." Morph replied as he reloaded his crossbow while looking like the main character out of John Carpenter's Vampires. "There's nothing I like more than kicking some undead booty!" The gang of vampires was soon defeated and the Exiles took a moment to relax.

"Yuck" Heather groaned as she wiped vamp dust off her fur. "I'm gonna be smelling of old dirt for a week after this!"

Another vampire managed to leap on Vincent's back and tried to bite him but to his surprise it was like trying to bite through metal. The vampire, which looked like he died in the early 80's, which he had, jumped off holing his mouth. "What the hell are you?" But Vincent only answered with a backhand slash with his sword decapitating him.

"Someone you really shouldn't try to bite." He said coldly to the now pile of dust.

"Somehow I doubt that you'll live that long." A voice said from above them. The Exiles looked up and saw the pale features of Morbius the Living Vampire standing on a gantry above their heads.

"Shouldn't you be bothering Spider-Man or something?" Morph asked. "We are kinda busy right now."

"I'm afraid that my friend the spider is no longer among the living." Morbius replied. "Or the undead actually. He, just like many of the heroes of this city have been turned or used as food. Now, do you have any last words before I break your necks and drink the blood from your hearts?"

"One thing." Vincent replied. "Look behind you!"

"Oh please!" Morbius snorted. "That ploy never wo-"

Morbuis's words were cut off as a crossbow bolt protruded from his chest. He looked down in surprise at the wooden arrow sticking out of his chest and exploded into dust. Standing behind the now, Living Pile Of Dust, was a red-clad woman with long black hair and a crossbow in her hands. She also had two swords strapped to her back.

"Vampires never shut up, so they?" The woman sighed. "Anyway, I'm Dare and I just saved your lives."

"We coulda handled him." Morph pouted slightly.

Dare just ignored Morph's comments and turned to the others. "So, why are you guys in an abandoned warehouse in the middle of the night? Have you got a death wish or something?"

"We're the Exiles." Blink replied. "And we were sent to save this world. We believe that a vampire named Spike is assembling a vast vampire army and is going to take over the city."

"This is a mighty leap in logic." Dare said. "But I'm gonna trust you guys. Besides, I owe Spike for what he did to my face." The Exiles watch as Dare removes her mask to reveal a long scar all down the left side of her face with a red eye-patch covering her left eye. "I tried to take him on by myself once." She said. "But he was too strong for me. The bastard gouged out my eye and slashed my face, just for fun."

**One month ago-**

Dare had just been out doing her usual rounds when she heard a scream of a woman. When she got to the alley she saw several man and a dark haired woman standing over the body of another woman. She could see that the woman on the ground was dead but the shadows of the alley hid the faces of her killers but she swore one of them had yellow eyes. "You're going to pay for that." Dare hissed and ran at them.

"Take her...alive." Came a British voice and Dare charged in but when her strikes hit they didn't feel right. The bodies were harder then a normal person at first she thought it was a gang of mutants but then she saw the face of one of them and knew they weren't. She could smell blood and death on them but the moment of distraction was all they needed.

One of the ones on the ground had been playing possum but when she was close enough he grabbed her leg and actually bit into it. She gave a yell in pain and attempted to stomp his head in but another grabbed her arm and bit into that and before she knew it they were all biting her, she could feel her strength slowly draining.

"Stop!" Immediately they let her go and she fell to the ground, too week to do anything. She saw the one that spoke walked over to her with confidence in his steps and bent down to her face. "Let's see that pretty face now shall we?" He ripped of her mask easily enough and now he looked into her eyes. "See luv you're going to be my messenger to the so called heroes of this city."

He moved closer and grinned at her, it was a cruel smile that sent a shiver of fear down her spine. "The name is Spike, the lovely lady behind me is Dru and we're the ones that are going to take over this city, we're going to take a bite out of the Big Apple and you're going to be our warning to those that would try to stop us. So this is just business nothing personal...well...maybe a little I do so enjoy my work." Then with his fingers he clawed a long line on her face and then he gouged out her left eye. She screamed in pain as he did it, slowly and as painfully as possible. When he pulled it out Dare was able to cover her missing eye with her hand and she rolled on the ground slightly tears coming out of her remaining eye.

"Call 911, I want to make sure she tells all her friends." Those were the last words she had heard. She passed out later only to wake up in a hospital. She saw her parents Matt and Elektra there. She reached up with one of her hands to the bandage over her missing eye.

After that it took over a week for her to recover but in that time she learned everything she could about vampires and how to kill them. Also it was when the body count of New York started to rise up as more and more people were getting killed by vampires and more were turned into vampires themselves. They had already had an army by the end of two weeks and the Baxter Building and the Avengers mansion had been overrun by a hoard of them.

The Thing and the Human Torch had survived as did Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Wasp and Giant Man, but the others had been killed after the attack. Even a few X-Men had fallen and other heroes were killed or turned.

**Present-**

The Exiles were silenced as she recapped her story and know could understand the anger and hatred she seemed to have for Spike. He had wounded not only her body but also her pride.

"I don't suppose you've got a plan." Vincent said. "Because we're all kinda stumped."  
  
"As a matter of fact I have." Dare replied with a predatory smile. "I know a secret way into Spike's office fortress, but I can't get through all his defenses alone." The Exiles huddled closer with Dare as she explained her plan...

**Spike and Dru's office fortress**-

Two vampire guards were guarding the not-so secret entrance to the lair. One of them was about to light up a cigarette when his partner heard movement from behind a row of garbage cans. "I'm gonna go check it out." He said as he slowly approached the garbage cans.

"I don't know what you're so scared about." The other guard said. "It's most probably a polar bear or something."

"Don't be an idiot." Vamp Guard Number 1 replied. "Polar bears live in the-"The guard's words are abruptly cut off as an axe flies through the air, lopping off his head.

"I believe he was going to say the Arctic." Jono said, retrieving his axe. Vamp Guard Number 2 just stood stock still in fright.

"This guy must be new." Morph said. "Look at him, he's peeing his pants in fear!" Vamp Guard Number 2 reached for his walkie-talkie to report the intruders but before he could do so, Blink shot him with her crossbow, turning him to dust.

The Exiles walked up to the not-so secret entrance and looked it up and down. "This secret entrance doesn't look all that secret." Jono said. "Yer might as well put up a sign sayin' 'Secret Entrance To Spike's Evil Lair', it woulda been less conspicuous."

"What can I say?" Dare replied and shrugged. "Spike's an arrogant jerk and thinks that he's invincible." The Exiles enter through the not-so secret entrance and begin their ascent to the top floor.

Unknown to our heroes, they are being watched by security cameras.

"It looks like our little bint's got friends." Spike said. He turned to the rather large, horned demon next to him. "Flarg, they're all yours, but bring me Dare alive, she upset Dru, no-one gets away with upsettin' Dru!" Flarg gurgled something in his own language and left the office.

**Several floors down-**

The Exiles reached the ninth floor of the building met by minimal resistance. There were a few vampires that were stupid enough to get in their way but they were disposed of without too much hassle.

"I hope there aren't too many floors left." Morph said. "I've almost run out of arrows."  
  
"Me too." Blink replied. "Vincent, how many vials of holy water have we got left?"  
  
"Only three I'm afraid." Vincent replied. "Unless Dare can magically conjure us some more."  
  
"Do I look like Dr Strange?" Dare snorted.

"You look like meat to me." A voice gurgled above them. The Exiles looked up to see a colossal horned demon leap down several floors in front of them. "I am Flarg and I will be killing you."  
  
"I'd rather that you didn't actually." Vincent replied, his eyes glowing red. "We've got a prior engagement." Flarg was knocked backwards as Vincent knocked him off his feet with an energy blast from his hands. "He wasn't so tough." Vincent said as he dusted off his hands casually.

"I wouldn't say that, Vince." August replied. "Look, he's getting up!"  
  
"Heh, that tickled." The demon chuckled. "You amuse me mutant, so you will be the first to die!"

"Oh shut up." Heather groaned. "You demon types are full of hot air."

Flarg let out a horrifying scream of pain as Heather buried her axe deep into his chest. Unfortunately, as with axe wounds to the chest, there was a lot of blood and Heather got splattered with it. "Oh God!" She groaned. "This mission is getting worse as it goes along. First I get covered in vampire dust and now I get splattered with demon goo!"

"Look at the bright side." Morph replied. "You've turned a delightful shade of pus yellow." Heather glared at him and he slowly moved away before she decided whether or not to smack him one.

**Upstairs-**

Our heroes walked up to an apparently empty office room and walked inside, regardless of what dangers might have been lurking in the shadows.

"Hunh, looks like Spike and Dru quite while they still could...but most likely it's supposed to be a trap." Vincent says looking around. The other Exiles gave out a shout of surprise as a knife was thrown across the room and splintered into pieces against the Canadian's invulnerable skin. Vincent spun around to pinpoint his attacker and saw a white target shining in the moonlight.

The mystery knife thrower walked into the light to reveal the yellow eyes, bumpy forehead and the fanged teeth of a vampire. This was no ordinary vampire however; it was an undead Bullseye, the man with the perfect aim! "Well, it looks like you'll be a tough one to kill." Bullseye said. "But I wonder if your friends are as tough as you?"

"There's only one way to find out Target Head." Morph replied stepping forward aiming the crossbow. "Bring it!"

Vampire Bullseye leapt to attack. Vincent caught him in midair and threw him against a table. Unfortunately, it was a metal table and only left a dent. Morph let rip with an arrow, heading towards Bullseye's heart but unfortunately, he caught it in midair and threw it aside to the floor.

"Oh please." He snorted. "I have perfect reflexes, I can catch anything you throw at me!"  
  
"Catch this!" Dare replied as she threw something at Bullseye. As expected, Bullseye caught the object and looked at it.

"And what is this?" He asked skeptically shaking it a little. "A little present for me? It isn't even my birthday!"  
  
"Happy Hanukah then." Dare replied as she pressed a control switch in her hand.

"What are you talking about?" Bullseye asked. "I'm not even Je..." **_BLAM!_** The ball in Bullseye's hand exploded, dusting him on the spot.

"What was that thing?" Morph asked. "Sunlight in a box?"

"Funny that you should day that." Dare replied. "Yes it was."  
  
"Well shut my mouth." Morph nodded.

"My all means, allow me, sweetie!" A red-haired female vampire replied, walking into the room.

"Let me guess." Vincent said as he looked at the vampire with half of her abnormally red face painted white. "This is Typhoid Mary, right?"

"At your service, stud." Typhoid replied. "Now, which of you shall I kill first? Ooh, I know. I'll kill the chick in leather! **_BURN!"_**

The Exiles gasped in horror as August was enveloped in flames. Without so much as a blink of her eye, August reflected the flames back at Typhoid, setting her alight. The redheaded vampire then exploded into a ball of burning ashes.

"That...was impressive." Vincent said looking at her. "I knew you could create fire, but not that?"

August just smiled evilly. "You ain't seen nothing yet."

"Well, Typhoid did say that she'd kill the chick in leather." Morph said kicking around her dust pile with his boot.

"Yeah." Heather added. "It just turned out to be her."

"Nice work loves." Another voice said from the shadows. "Pity though, I was kinda fond of old Typhoid. A lot like Dru she was."

"Spike." Dare hissed at her nemesis. "Show yourself you coward!"

"Not just yet." Spike replied. "Dru wants to say hello!" Dare jumped back as Drusilla leapt out of the shadows with a feral hiss. Soon other vampires filled the room behind their leader. The Exiles were about to leap to her aid when they were knocked of their feet by a sudden shrieking in their ears.

"I see that you like the Sonic Nullifier." Spike grinned as he walked out of the shadows. "I had Tony Stark whip it up for me, before I ripped out his heart that is!"

"You monster!" Blink hissed. "You will pay for killing all those people!"  
  
"Ooh, I like your spunk, kid." Spike replied with a grin. "I'll tell you what, after I've snapped your friends' necks like kindling, I think I'll turn you, just for fun. What do you say, love?"  
  
"I say... no!" Blink said, as she broke free of the Sonic Nullifier and giving Spike a swift kick to the leg, causing him to drop the device and it shattered on the floor.

"Oh balls!" Spike growled. "I tell you, if I hadn't already kill Stark, I woulda done after he gave me shoddy bloody merchandise. There's the Yanks for you!"

"These guys may be Americans." Vincent hissed. "But they're good people."  
  
"Uh...actually." Jono piped up. "I'm British."  
  
"Canadian." Heather added.

"I'm half Roman." August said, adding her two cents.

"It doesn't matter where you come from." Spike growled. "I'm still gonna kill the whole buggerin' lot of you!"

"Spike, shut up, kill them already!" The Vampires charged at the mutants. Heather started to bat them aside changing back into her more powerful form since the giant office was large enough for her to use it. Blink and Morph started to use as many of their bolts as they had trying to take out as many vampires as they could.

Jono blasted a few of them away with his powers making sure that they didn't get close, he was bitten once by a vampire and that was it for him.

Vince decapitated one with a backhanded swing of his sword and then threw his second last vile of holy water at a Vampire. "Ah it stings!" it cried out.

August send a fireball at another. "It burns!"

Then one of August's fireballs and Vincent's last vile of holy water hit the same vampire. "It stings and it burns!" That one cried out.

Spike watched this going on ashamed this his minions were getting beaten like this then he heard someone from behind him and spun around to see Dare standing right behind him. "Where's Dru?"

"Over there." Dare replied, pointing to a pile of dust. "Oh and there too and there, and I think a little on my shoe, what do you think?" Spike looks at her foot and Dare kicks him swiftly in the face. Spike is sent back a few feet and glares at Dare. His face filled with rage at the thought of Dare killing his sire and lover and he leapt at her with a terrible yell.

"I'll tear you to pieces you stupid bitch!" Spike lunged at the woman and she fell to her back using his momentum to throw him over her. They both jumped back onto their feet and Dare took out her fighting sticks and used them to ward off his attacks. She had learned from experience not to try and go hand to hand with a vampire since they were stronger then her so she used the metallic sticks to take the blows and used them to inflict more pain onto Spike.

During the fight he managed to grab her wrist and with the other hand her throat and picked her up and slammed her onto the desk. "You know what?" He asked her his vampiric face staring at her. "I really should have killed you when I had the chance...or maybe I should have taken both eyes, well my only real regret is that you won't live long enough for me to inflict the kind of pain on you **_FOR KILLING DRU!"_**

With her free hand she reached for her last hope, her last Sunlight generator. She activated it and placed it right between them as Spike bent down to bite her neck then at the last moment it activated and in a flash of artificial daylight Spike exploded into dust his roar of pain and failure the last sound he made.

With the death of their leaders the remaining vampires lost the urge to fight and decided to run for it, a few the Exiles got but a few managed to escape the room before they could go after them. They helped up their comrades. Jono had taken a few hits but no bite marks, Heather was healing from a few bites and bruises, Blink had a nasty bruise on her shoulder from hitting the floor at one point, Vince of course was fine, so were Morph and August.

"Well that was satisfying." Dare said. "Now, who's for ice-cream?" The others looked at each other and shrugged.

Outside-

The Exiles and Dare walked out of the building just in time to see the sun rise on the horizon. Dare was basking in the new dawn feeling the shadow of Spike's influence gone from her city and her vengeance complete. "Well, it looks like our job here is done." Blink says.

"And a very good job too." Guardian said, as he appeared form nowhere. "Such a good job in fact that I'm going to let you all have some time off."  
  
**_"WHAT?"_** The Exiles all gasped at once.

"You can't be serious!" Morph said surprised and happily. "The Timebroker never let us have time off. Well, apart from that time when we traveled to Cancun and you guys went to that nude beach **_WITHOUT ME!"_**

"But you went lingerie shopping with Mariko though." Blink replied, she remembered how she had to beg Mariko to take Morph with her like that.

"Oh yeah." Morph said as he got a far away look in his eye, imagining his former teammate in sexy underwear, that had been a good day and it wasn't just that too, he and Mariko had started their friendship that day...he missed her, she was the best friend he ever had and he still missed the Japanese mutant with all his heart.

"Well, I suppose that we'd better go before Morph dehydrates from drooling too much." Vincent said rolling his eyes at Morph and his drooling.

"Are you sure that you don't want to join us, Dare?" Guardian asked. "You're perfectly welcome to if you wish."  
  
"It's a wonderful offer." Dare replied. "But there are still vampires out there and it's my job to hunt them down."

"Tell me about it." Jono said. "To each generation a Slayer is born, only she has the power to defeat the demons and the forces of darkness."

"Darn it Jono!" Vincent said. "You **_HAVE_** to show me that Buffy show!"

"I'm sure that Guardian's got all the episodes on DVD, right?" Jono replied looking to their benefactor.

"Of course, well on data crystal which is better, but I got them." Guardian said shrugging. Then turned to Dare and gave her a Recall Device. "If you change your mind you can contact me with the yellow button or use the red to travel to the Complex."

She took it and looked it over and shrugged. "Sure, thanks."

The Exiles then bid dare a final farewell as they leave in a flash of light.

**TBC...**

* * *

**NEXT: The Exiles travel back to 1998 to watch the King of the Ring and after an accident with one of the wrestlers, Morph has to take his place.**

**Also please check out the spin-off fic 'Morph' By The Uncanny R-Man.**


	9. Wrestling in the Past

**The New Exiles**

**By Agent-G And The Uncanny R-Man**

_Shout Outs-_

Ruby631: He didn't exist in that world since those kind of vampires can't create half-vampires.

Damn-my-name-was-taken: Sorry to hear about your turtle and your insane cousin.

X-Over: Sorry this is more of a humorous story no evil villains or anything like that at the moment.

Bluzer: Silly how? I'd like to know exactly what you mean by that otherwise how can we improve our writing? But we both like to add some humor to the story a little, if that's what you meant. This chapter is more of a comedic chapter then serious just as a change of pace.

**Chapter 9: Wrestling in the Past**

**Exiles Complex-**

The Exiles had stopped of at the complex to change into more civilian clothing and to wash off and clean up after their last mission. Heather of course went straight to the shower to get off all the dust and slime. Later they were gathered in the transporter room waiting around for Guardian to show up. They were all wearing normal clothing now. Blink was in a skirt and T-shirt, Heather and August were in blue jeans and simple shirts. Heather had on a jacket although.

Vincent was wearing dark jeans with a shirt to match but kept his brown jacket though. Jono was wearing all black but sported a leather trench coat. All but Morph had changed but since he could look like anything there was little point in him to change clothing when he could do it himself.

The large doors hissed opened and their benefactor walked in. "Well I hope you enjoy yourselves."

"Where exactly are you sending us?" August asked him.

"Ever seen the King of the Ring of '98?" He asked with a smile.

Chamber's face lit up with a smile. "Isn't that the famous Hell in a Cell match between Foley and Undertaker?"

"The very same." He dug out a few impressive laminated passes. "These should let you in almost any area plus I got a sky box there for you all."

"Sweet!" Morph cried out and took his. "I always wanted to go in one of those."

Vincent shrugged. "Should be interesting I never got to see anything past '97 anyway."

"Why?" Morph said.

Vince raised an eyebrow. "Cause in '97 the Sentinels started their war."

"Wait a minute I thought you said you wrote Matrix fan fiction?" Chamber said slightly confused. "That came out after '98."

Vincent looked a little surprised. "In my world it came out in '95."

"Whoa serious...man who knew the Wachowski brothers must have gotten a earlier start in your world." Heather commented.

"Who?" Vince asked her. "The one I did was done by Spielberg and stared Ben Affleck."

Now the others were little surprised, well except Guardian he chuckled at bit. "Yes, well you'll find out there have been a few changes in many worlds. Anyway I also have this for you Clarice." He handed her a watch and she studied it.

"It's a holo watch. Since Mutants don't exist in that world I think this would be a bit easier for you to walk around.' She smiled and put it on. Then she watched her activate it, she now had brown hair, and matching eyes and her skin was a more normal looking color.

She checked out her arms with surprise. "Well now that your ready I'll send you on your way. I have set the machine to bring you back an hour after the event, but if you need to return sooner just use the PADD or the recall devices if some of you want to come back sooner." He told them as he went over to the controls and they stood on the platform.

After the teleportation, which was surprising always smooth and newly instantly, they found themselves in the backstage area of an arena. They looked around the place and there didn't seem to be anyone around. "So I guess we should find the sky box." Heather said looking at her pass to see it read Sky Box #3 on it.

"Well let's go." Morph said.

"Uh...Morph." August said to him. "Shouldn't you change?" Morph looked down and saw he was still in his normal form.

"Oops." He said sheepishly and quickly turned into a short brown haired man with a WWF T-shirt on it. (WWE was still WWF in that time so the World Wild Life foundation can eat it if they got a problem with that.)He started walking to a door.

"Do you know where you're even going?" Vince asked him seriously.

"Hey I got a great sense of direction." He claimed as he put his hand on the door. "It has to be right this way." Little did he know Mick Foley AKA Mankind was going up the stairs and to the very same door.

He was a little nervous cause this was his big night. This match would make or break his career. He checked a few things off, his mandible claw, and then took out a bag. He opened it and found the thumbtacks he was going to need. He was about to open the door when it suddenly burst open quickly and slammed him in the face he fell down the stairs the bag of tacks went flying and spilled over the stairs as he rolled on them while falling.

When he finally stopped he was out cold and not too healthy looking either. Morph who had opened the door looked in and took a look at what had happened. "Oops." He said quietly.

The other Exiles had gathered around the fallen wrestler. Heather being a doctor in her world was the best to see how he was doing. "Well he'll live but he won't be happy." She said darkly.

"What's that by his nose?" August pointed at a small white thing.

Vince took it and gave it a look. "That would be his tooth."

"Eew." She said looking at the bloody mess. "I don't even want to know how a tooth got to the outside of his face under his nose."

"What happened to his ear?" Blink asked seeing that he was missing most of it. "Don't tell me he lost that in the ring?"

"Yeah it was in Germany, there's this thing where the wrestler gets his head caught in the ropes and well they were a little tight so when he head was pushed through..."

Blink grimaced at the mental image. "And they do this for a living?"

"We should get this guy to the paramedics." Jono said and they helped pick him up and quickly took out many of the tacks still in his body as they could and placed then in the bag. They managed to sneak around to the trainers offices by having Jono used some telepathy to make anyone forget what they just saw and then made the medical personal help Foley and put in a suggestion not to call in an ambulance unless it was necessary.

"I didn't know you could do all that with your mind." Blink asked him as they watched the man work on the wrestler.

Jono shrugged. "I wasn't until Sinister got his hands on me. Not only did I get my lower face back luv, but my powers were slightly altered like how I can still use my bio-nuclear energy discharges but they don't rip my chest open now." He explained to her. "I'm still learning and I'm not as powerful as someone like Jean Grey or Xavier, but I can do things like this."

After they made sure Foley would be all right they were outside thinking on what to do next. "This is bad." Chamber stated. "If I remember right then this was supposed to launch his carrier, if he doesn't wrestle...he would most likely lose his job."

"Is that bad?" Morph asked. "I mean there's got to be better jobs then this."

"Well take into account he has a wife and two kids to take care of, plus the rest of his life needs this carrier to launch it." Chamber told him with a steady gaze.

"Once again...oops." Morph said slouching a little.

"Well he has to wrestle." Blink said to them. "I don't think Guardian would appreciate us ruining things on our time off."

"What are we going to do?" Morph asked her. "Have someone take his place?" Then he noticed everyone looking at him. "What?"

**The Complex-**

Guardian was working in the labs, the other Exiles didn't use it since they weren't the science types, well except for Heather but she was a medical doctor and she was more interested in working with Doc in the medical ward. Currently he was looking at a simulation of John Proudstar's body. So far he had tried nanites, gene-therapy, cellular regeneration, artificial brain waves, none of them effective.

Normally this shouldn't be so much of a problem but John's brain wasn't normal. All the 'modifications' Apocalypse had done to it made it a real mess to sort through since he had to reverse engineer the entire brain to see just how it worked and with all the years he had spent learning all about medicine and technology he still didn't know enough to accurately find the problem.

He was also getting frustrated, here was a man that was trapped in a limbo and he was powerless to do anything. He hated that feeling. The feeling of being powerless, it was just a reminder of the few times in his life that when he couldn't help and how he hadn't been able to safe those lives. "Arg!" He shouted out and kicked one of the tables denting it.

Alfred appeared then. "Sir, may I suggest you take it easy your stress levels are very high at the moment."

Adam sighed to himself and leaned against a lab table with chemicals on it. "I know...I just...I just hate not being able to help out." He rubbed his temples feeling a headache coming on. "I may have to try more...extreme ways if I can't think of anything else."

Alfred tipped his head. "I hope you don't mean go for a spirit walk. Sir every time you try that it leaves you drained and vulnerable plus it might not work in his case."

"Yeah I know...going to the spirit realm is hard but I have to find out what happened to his essence...at least the Exiles are having a good time."

**Later-**

The Exiles had found their skybox and where enjoying the show so far, it was a lavish pad with lots of food ordered for them and a great view of the ring. "You know this is actually kind of interesting." Heather said then winced as somebody just got slammed onto the mat. "Doesn't that hurt?"

"A little but I hear that they try and do the moves so they look painful but it hurts not as much as it looks, that and so they don't kill or maim each other." Vincent told her. "I saw a few documentaries on this, but as a word of advice never say it's all fake to their faces, wrestlers _really_ hate that.

"Man this has a great mini-bar and the food is great." August said taking a plate of food from the tray and coming back to the window to watch the show. "So when is Morph up?"

"Should be right next." Jono said. "You know I wish the British Bulldog was still here, I would have loved to have gotten his autograph."

"Yeah I feel the same about Bret Heart." Vincent said standing next to him with a beer.

**Backstage-**

Morph looking like Mick Foley in the wrestling gear complete with the leather mask, white shirt with a tie, baggy pants, black wrestling boots and long tangled hair and he had been pacing the entire time. 'How the Hell did I get talked into this?' He thought.

'_Cause this was your fault.'_

'Jono!' Morph thought back to him. _'What are you doing in my head?'_

'_Look, I know what you need to do so I'm going to coach you through it.'_

"Hey Mick you're on next." Came a person with a headset and wearing a company shirt.

Morph stood there. _'That's you Morph move it.'_

"Oh yeah." He said going through the arena and to the opening. _'Don't forget one of those chairs, you're going to need it' _Morph was about to ask why when he figured Camber knew what he was talking about so he looked around and saw a few fold-up chairs near by. He grabbed it and continued on his way.

The others watched as the giant cage lowed itself to the floor. "What...is that?" Blink asked.

"That would be the Hell in a Cell cage." Camber said to her. Suddenly music started to blare and Morph as Mick Foley strolled out with a chair. The audience did the usual applause and 'Mick' made his way to the cage.

'_So what now Chamber?'_ Morph asked with his thoughts.

'_First throw up that chair on the top of the cage and then climb up.'_ Jono told him. Morph did what he said and when he finally got to the top, which was a lot harder than it looked, the lights went out.

"What the hell?" Morph said. Then a bell sounded and out came the Undertaker. Morph looked at the tall six-foot dark haired and kind of spooky man and was suddenly thankful for the chair. With Jono's coaching Morph did his best to try and put on a good show. The Undertaker climbed the cage and they started the match. When he was close to the edge of the cage and the Undertaker had him by the throat he was a little worried about falling.

'_Hey Jono isn't this kind of close, what if I fall?'_

'_Actually you see that table down there?'_ Morph saw it and said yes. _'Well he's about to throw you onto it so I suggest you change the skin under your clothing into some kind of padding or this is going to hurt.'_

'_**WHAT?**'_ But before he could say anything else he was thrown off the cage and landed on the table as the announcer JR cried out. "Oh my God they've killed him!"

The Exiles winced as they saw him go through the table. Heather covered her eyes. "Is he dead? Are they bringing out the body bags?"

"Don't worry he's actually fine." Camber said to her. They saw his face take on a few expressions as he was 'talking' with Morph. "Well he's pissed, and very vocal about it, but he's fine. Look here come the EMTs."

The cage was rising as they took an 'injured Mick' from the stadium. 'Well at least that's over.' Morph thought.

'_Actually you have to get up and go back up the cage.'_ Jono said to him.

'_You're kidding me!'_

'_Do it Morph, you got yourself into this and you have to do it.'_ Morph reluctantly got up and climbed the cage once again. The Undertaker did the same and once again they went at it.

They match went pretty much the way it happened. Morph fell thorough the top of the cage to the bottom, which of course he swore at Jono for two minutes straight for not telling him sooner. They continued to go at it and Morph was getting a whole new respect for wrestlers, especially since this Undertaker guy wasn't pulling his punches too much. That and his kicks, elbows and ramming him into things also hurt like hell too.

When it came to the thumbtacks he was a little reluctant to use them but Jono insisted that's what happened. So he pulled the bag and poured them onto the mat. He just wished Jono had told him he would get slammed onto it not once but twice. When he got the tombstone pile driver and Jono told him to stay down there was only one thing on his mind. 'Thank God that's finally over!'

He was taken out of the ring at the end of the match and the Exiles put their last bit of the plan in motion. Blink used her portals and with Jono managed to 'convince' the medics to make a little detour. They managed to switch Morph for Mick and they went back to the Skybox to enjoy the last match.

Well the others did, Morph was laying on the couch moaning about everything. "Morph, you're fine, you took most of the shots by changing your skin in time and anything else the Doc can fix when we get back, don't be such a baby." Jono told him.

"I like to see you go through that." He said back to him glaring. "And I'm not acting like a baby." He muttered as he crossed his arms.

After all was said and done they decided that Morph needed to get to the Doc, even if it was just to shut him up about it all. As they arrived back home, Guardian came to meet them. "So how was it?" He asked them smiling.

Morph strolled past him in a bad mood and a visible black eye and stalked off to the medical ward. He turned back to them. Guardian blinked then turned with a more serious look on his face "What happened? It was supposed to be a nice and quiet little vacation?"

"Before or after Morph nearly killed Mick Foley?" August asked him.

"**WHAT?"** He said, clearly not happy about that.

"Don't worry we fixed it." Blink told him quickly, now with her hologram gone.

He stood there a moment then pinched the bridge of his nose. "You know what...never mind I have a feeling I wouldn't like the answer." He turned and left them standing there. 'This just isn't my day...I think I'm the one that needs a vacation...God when _was_ the last time I took some time off?'

"Well besides the Morph incident I had a good time." Vincent said shrugging; it was true it had been a very long time since he had that good of a time.

"I'll admit I've never watched wrestling before but it was kind of cool." Blink said.

"Yeah and how about that last match?" Heather asked. "Hey you think he's got all of those matches?"

Jono shrugged. "I wouldn't put it past him, but I want to check out and see that version of the Matrix Vince saw."

"I wonder if that means they made a good version of movies like Hollywood Homicide?" Jono wondered out loud.

"Pft! Not likely." Vince said, he had seen that movie while going through some of the movies they had here one night, he got about halfway through when he stopped watching.

"I wonder if they made a version where Thelma and Louise didn't die at the end?" August asked them both Blink and Heather got hopeful looks on their face while Vincent and Jono just shared a look and they both knew to stay out of the room while they watched that movie.

_**TBC...**_

* * *

**_Next: The Exiles travel to Gotham City, circa 'No Mans Land.'_ **


	10. No Mans Land

** The New Exiles**

**By The Uncanny R-Man And Agent-G**

_Shout Outs-_

Red Witch: Glad you thought it was still funny.

Ruby631: Considering his world was destroyed by Sentinels kind of a real messed up one.

X-Over: Oh they'll find out in this chapter and plans will star to form for the Dark Circle, there will be new recruits soon, unfortunately no Batman but you will see other familiar Batman characters.

* * *

**Chapter 10: No Man's Land**

**The Exiles Complex-**

It was two days after the King of the Ring debacle and our heroes were hanging out in the briefing room. "I wonder what kind of mission's Guardian's got for us today." August said.

"I'm hoping it's the planet of naked cheerleaders." Morph replied with a lecherous grin.

"Morph!" Blink said. "Is sex all you think about?"

"No." Morph replied crossing his arms in his chair. "I think about kissing too."

Blink just roller her eyes and sat down in her usual place at the meeting table. The door swished open and Guardian walked in. The Exiles could tell from his expression that he didn't have good news. "I don't like where this is going already." Vincent groaned.

"As long as it isn't another trip to Limbo." August replied. "Then I'd be happy."

"So what've you got for us Boss Man?" Morph asked. "Please tell me the planet of naked cheerleaders needs re-seeding."

"I'm afraid that you will not be able to visit that reality." The Guardian replied.

"And why not?" Morph asked. "You said we could visit any reality, right?"

"Well, yes I did." Guardian said. "But you can't visit that reality because it doesn't exist. A small chuckle rose from the other Exiles at Morph's expense.

"Now, I'm afraid that the time for levity is over." Guardian said as he activated the holo-projector. "How many of you are familiar with Gotham City?" Almost all of the Exiles raised their hands in conformation, all of them except Blink that is. "For your benefit Blink, I will explain the significance of this city."  
  
The holo-picture changed to that of a man dressed in a cowl and cape. "In many realities Gotham City is the home to the vigilante known as Batman. Just recently a terrible earthquake rocked the city and many people were killed. The city was in such disarray that the US government deemed it a 'No Man's Land.' Nobody was allowed in or out, not even to deliver well-needed supplies, such as medicine and food."

The holo-picture changed to that of Batman fighting a gang of thugs in a wasteland. "Add to that the fact that several of Gotham's worst criminals and psychopaths were released onto the streets, chaos soon ensued. The strongest criminals soon took control of the city and split it up into several parts."

The holo-picture then changed to show a map of Gotham divided into different sections. "I am afraid that I will have to split you up to go about your separate missions." Guardian continued.

"Um no offence." August said. "But isn't that kind of Batman's job?"

"It would be if he wasn't killed in the quake in the first place." Guardian replied.

"Well that kinda puts a damper on things, doesn't it?" Morph said.

"I will split you up thus." Guardian said. "Heather, due to your medical expertise, you will be helping with the medical effort. Vincent, you will be investigating the disappearance of children in Robinson Park. Jono, you will be protecting a young woman called Oracle." The holo-picture then changed to that of an attractive redheaded woman in a wheelchair.

"Sounds easy enough to me, guv." Jono said. "Bein' a bodyguard isn't exactly hard work."

"If only that were the case." Guardian replied. "Oracle is located right in the middle of gang territory."

"Oh bugger." Jono groaned.

"There's another problem." Guardian told him.

"Of course there is." The British mutant muttered.

An image of humanoid creatures with red eyes that were all black and had long blade like things on their forearms and on the side of their shines that were part of their bodies. They had no real features and had three red eyes, two normally placed ones and a third one on the forehead. "These are Dark Circle Shadow Assassins, a friend of mine got a message to me telling me they might be in Gotham and Oracle was most likely their target."

"So what about us?" Morph asked. "Don't tell me we have to go after the Joker or something."

"Funny you should say that actually, Morph." Guardian replied. "That is exactly what you have to do. You, along with Blink and August will have to combat the Joker, Harley Quinn and Bane." Morph and August both groaned in dread at the prospect of facing two of Batman's most deadly enemies.

"I don't get it." Blink said. "If those guys are as lame as their names, they should be a push over." The holo-picture changes once more to show that of a muscle-bound wannabe wrestler and a man with bright green hair, a deathly pale face and an insane grin plastered onto his face.

"You want some salt with that foot in your mouth, Blink?" Morph asked.

The Exiles were gathered in the teleporter room waiting to be sent down to their respective missions. Heather was first up as her mission was deemed more urgent. She was also beamed down with several crates of emergency medical supplies. Blink, August and Morph were next, then Jono and Vincent was the final one to leave.

**Sasquatch-**

Heather, in a white doctors coat and a medical case filled with advance medicines, and found herself in what appeared to be an abandoned train station. There were medical personnel rushing about attending to injuries of so many people, it looked like something out of one of those World War Two movies with a makeshift medical unit. Before she was teleported down to Gotham, Guardian told Heather to seek out Dr Leslie Thompkins, the person in charge of the medical efforts. Heather saw a gray-haired woman aged in her late fifties.

"Umm, Doctor Thompkins? I'm Dr. Heather Hudson. I'm here to help."

"Oh thank God." Dr. Thompkins replied, not even asking who the new arrival is or where she came from. "We're swamped. Follow me, we've got a woman about to give birth but she's having complications!" Heather followed Dr Thompkins.

"I brought medial and other supplies with me." She said pointing to the corner.

"How did-no I'll ask later." She said and looked around for someone. "David! We got new supplies start handing them out!"

**Blink, August and Morph-**

Blink, August and Morph teleported down to an abandoned building yard. Down inside a large crater, a muscle-bound guy in a mask was pounding on a pale guy in strange purple clothing with an insane grin on his face pale face with bright green hair.

"Let me guess." Blink said. "The muscle-bound WWE wannabe is Bane and the freaky clown is the Joker."

"Got it in one." Morph replied.

"Uch." Blink winced. "I hate clowns, I didn't sleep for two days after watching that movie IT."

"So what're we supposed to do?" August asked. "Why don't we let the big guy pound on the Joker for a while, it would make our job easier for a start."

"That isn't how heroes work." Blink replied walking forward to the fight. "We have to stop Bane before he kills the Joker."

"I suppose that it's my turn then." August sighs and stops Blink. "Being the strongest out of us three, I got the better change but I could use back up if you two don't mind."

"Go get 'em tiger!" Morph replied, giving August two thumbs up she just rolled her eyes as she headed towards the villains.

**Jono-**

When Jono teleported into Gotham and found himself in a mob scene, it was like something out of 'Gangs of New York.' He swore loudly as a random thug hit him on the head with a two-by-four. Jono spun around and punched the thug squarely on the chin. While the thug was momentarily off balance, Jono dealt him a meaty roundhouse kick to the head, knocking him out. Unfortunately, another thug leapt onto Jono's back in retribution for his friend. Jono simply flipped him off his back and kicked him in the kidneys.

Unfortunately, Jono didn't see another thug take out a gun. He realized this too late and was shot in the shoulder. He winced in pain as the gun-toting thug pistol-whipped him. With his vision darkening, Jono saw what appeared to be a giant bat swoop down from the roof and talked the thugs to the ground. Then everything went black.

**Vincent-**

Vincent was teleported outside what was once a brick wall. A rusted sign on what was left of the wall read 'Robinson Park.' "I guess this is where I'm supposed to start searching." He said to himself as he walked into the park. Much to Vincent's amazement, the park was in a rather good state for a place that had just gone through a rather serious earthquake. Sure, the buildings were all crumbled and broken but the vegetation was unusually well kept.

"Somebody must take horticulture pretty seriously." He said. Out of the corner of his eye Vincent saw several children walking towards what he guessed was once the park's botanical garden. He hid behind a tree and watched them for a while. The children seemed to be carrying large crates of fruit and vegetables.

"Looks like somebody's been going to market a little early." He said. Once the children had all entered the ruins of the botanical garden, Vincent stepped out from behind the tree and followed them in.

Unseen by the Canadian samurai, he was being watched. Being watched a certain clay-faced person...

**Jono-**

Jono eventually came around and saw two women looking at him concernedly. One had red hair and was in a wheelchair while the other was younger and had black hair, she also was in a tight fitting black bodysuit that clung to her little yet athletic form, it also had a cape and a bat symbol on her chest. "Oh bloody 'ell." He groaned slowly getting up and placed a hand on the back of his head. "It feels like somebody hit me upside the head with a two-by-four."

"That's exactly what happened." The redhead replied with a small smile. "It's fortunate that my friend rescued you or we wouldn't dare to think what those guys would've done to you." Jono sat up and looked around at his surroundings. He was sat on a bed in what appeared to be in a clock tower. There was a large bank of computers in one corner with a large colour-coded map up on the wall. Jono suddenly remembered why he was there in the first place.

"You're Oracle, right?" he asked. "I'm Jono, also called Chamber, I'm here to help you."

"I can fend for myself here perfectly well thank you." Oracle replied. "And how did you know I'm called Oracle anyway?" She asked him sternly.

"It's a long story, luv." Jono replied. "But seein' that we're not goin' anywhere soon, I think that I'd better tell you." Jono then explained to Oracle the Exiles' mission and why they were in Gotham in the first place.

"Well that's pretty weird stuff." Oracle said. "But I've seen worse." Then the black-haired girl, who hadn't said anything since Jono had awakened, walked up with a mug of hot chocolate.

"Thanks, luv." Jono said as he gratefully took the mug. "No offence or anything but, isn't hot chocolate a luxury around here?"

"Not if you know where the army keep their supplies." Oracle replied. Oracle smirked slightly as she saw her friend hovering around Jono. "It looks like my friend likes you." She said.

"You wanna sit down, Cassandra?" Jono asked. Both Oracle and Cassandra looked shocked as Jono mentioned her name.

"How did you know her name?" Oracle gasped.

"Remember that Guardian bloke I told you about?" Jono asked taking a sip of his cup. "He debriefed us all about you guys, let's just say you're not the only information Guru. The guys has detailed files on everyone, so I know that you were the original Batgirl, how you lost the use of your legs, and the lot, sorry how that happened though."

"Oh okay...thanks, I'm over it now." Oracle replied, kind of freaked out about the fact that a stranger knew all about them. "Well, those thugs kinda quieted down after Cassandra took care of them so all we have to do now is wait."

Jono looked out of the corner of his eye and noticed the certain looks Cassandra was giving him.

'Oh balls.' Jono thought to himself. 'She's got a crush on me. I'd better watch myself with this one, she could kick my arse before I even bloody realize it!' But then re remembered something else. "Well you two better get ready cause this big bad group sent some assassins after you luv, so I think we should get the welcome mat out.

**Vincent-**

Vincent followed the children down into an underground chamber. He hid behind a stone pillar as he watched the children pile up the crates of produce. Years of dodging the Sentinels and guerrilla warfare tactics made it easy to follow the children without them noticing him. Then his sensitive hearing heard a plaintive plea from somewhere behind him. He followed the sound and was surprised at what he saw in front of him. A redheaded woman was bound to the wall with what seemed to be hardened clay. She had one hell of a figure, pale green skin and had some type of green body suit that left little to the imagination; there was also what looked like ivy around her body. "Damn." Vincent muttered. "Poison Ivy! I bet if Morph was here he'd make a joke about having a new bondage fantasy or something."

"Help me..." Ivy pleaded seeing someone in the shadows. "Please..."

He thought it over but he did have a code of honour about him and steeped into the dimly lit room. "You may be a psycho and a killer." Vincent said. "But nobody needs to be bound to a wall like this." Vincent then formed a small energy blade and began to hack at Ivy's clay bonds. The clay seemed to be packed quite thick and he had a little trouble releasing Ivy, plus he was also trying not to cut her hands off.

"Look out, behind you!" She screamed at him.

Vincent spun around just in time to see a colossal fist fall towards him. He managed to dodge out of the way easily with his super speed and while floating in the air fired an energy blast from his hands.

The figure in the shadows seemed to dodge the attack and started to come out into the poorly lit area.

"Clayface!" He said recognizing the figure coming out of the shadows from the comics he used to read and from the files he had read. "Oh please! You're nothing more than a second-string thug!"

"Strong words coming from a guy that's about to end up splattered all over this cavern, and who seems to be some kind of Superman wannabe." Clayface hissed as he turned his hand into a giant mace and swung it around. Once again, Vincent dodged out of the way.

"Please, I'm no boy scout and I'm a lot meaner then him." Clayface formed several tentacles and tried to impale him into the wall but he proved too fast for him. "You villains make me sick." He hissed his hands and eyes getting an eerie crimson glow to them. "Gotham's been struck by a earthquake and all the scum like you do is wreck the place."

"It's one of the simple laws of nature, buddy." Clayface replied. "Survival of the fittest!"

"Oh I now all about that." He said coldly to him. Vincent tried to blast Clayface with another burst of energy from his hand but the clay monstrosity dodged out of the way by making a hole in his form and the ball of energy ended up blowing a whole in the cavern ceiling. Fortunately, the hole let in a shaft on light, which fell on a weakened Poison Ivy. Being part plant, the sudden burst of sunlight strengthened her enough to break out of her bonds and join the fight against Clayface.

"This is for feeding me salt you monster!" She hissed as vines whipped around Clayface's legs. "Do you know what that does to a plant?"

Vincent saw his chance and brought both hands together and blasted Clayface with a much more powerful beam of energy from both hands his hand, blowing him to pieces. "Nice job, Ivy, it will take him months to pull himself back together." He said as he powered down. "Did you ever think about a job in the hero business."

Ivy just ignored Vincent's comments and sidled up close to him. "Thanks for saving me lover." She purred placing her hands on his chest. "How about I thank you with a kiss?"

Vincent held up his hand to Ivy's lips and gently pushed her away. "Sorry hot lips." He grinned. "I've heard your kisses are to die for...literally. Plus I want you to let the kids to go free."

"Pff, men." Ivy pouted as she walked away with a sexy sway of her hips and looked over her shoulder at him. "You have no idea what you missed out on, but I will give the kids back so we're even and if you ever change your mind." She looked him up and down. "Come and visit me sometime and I'll show you have 'appreciative' I can really be."

Vincent stared as he watched her walked off then shook his head. 'Damn it...why do all the female villains have to be so damn sexy...I'm going to need one long and very cold shower when I get back.'

**August-**

Bane was still pounding on the Joker when August crept up behind him. The hulking enforcer was distracted as the fire-manipulating woman cleared her throat behind him. He whipped his head around to see August standing behind him with an innocent smile on her face and her hands held behind her back.

"Candy-gram, for Mister Mongo!" She said. Before Bane could say anything in reply, August sent him sailing against a stack of pallets with a meaty punch to the chin. The Joker took this moment to make his escape.

"You will pay for that woman." Bane hissed getting up and whipping a small trail of blood from his mouth with a clenched fist. "I broke the Batman!"

"Blah, blah, blah." August yawned. "That's all you bad guys talk about, I broke the Bat, I killed Superman, I nailed Scott Summers, I took out the Hulk. Get a new gimmick already!"

Bane let out a bellow of rage and charged at August. She dodged out the way of a massive right hook and stuck out a foot, tripping him up. "Looking a little rusty there Bane." She said grinning. "Has beating on clowns tired you out?" With unusual speed for such a man his size, Bane leapt at August once more and grabbed her in a bear hug.

"As I said woman, you will pay for this!" He growled at her.

"Let me ask you a question, Bane." August said, not disconcerted at all by the fact that she was having her body squeezed to mush although it was getting hard to breath and it was staring to hurt. "Have you ever dance with the devil by the pale moonlight?"

"What?" Bane asked, not knowing what she was talking about.

"I'm not too sure myself." August shrugged as best she could. "I just wanted to say that." Before Bane could even continue squeezing the life out of her, August blasted him point blank with a fireball. Bane let out a scream of pain as he clutched his face and started to stumble about. Right towards a gas pipe that had been split open during the fight.

"Look out for that..." Too late, the gas pipe exploded with a colossal boom, sending August sailing through the air. Blink had seen her fly out of the crater and ported over to her friend.

"August, you alright?" Blink asked kneeling down to her and checking her. August's black leather one-piece bodysuit was ripped and torn and she saw a few cuts but nothing too serious. Then August groaned as Blink helped her up.

August moaned a little leaning on Blink. "I am so glad fire can't hurt me...but I wish the concussion of explosions didn't also...wish I had invulnerability like Vincent does, god I ache all over."

"Don't worry we'll have the Doc fix you up."

"What?" August asked her. "Did you say something? I think I got a ringing in my ears."

**Jono-**

Back at the clock tower the security had been heightened but Jono was still nervous. Cassandra had pulled on her mask and had gone on a few patrols of the area to help out while Jono stayed behind to make sure Barbara was still safe. He had to admit she was a looker but refrained from starting anything, since not only was he leaving after this mission, but he really didn't want a jealous and crushed Batgirl after him. Or else he would have a few certain body parts crushed instead.

"So tell me about yourself, you said you're a mutant. What exactly is that?" Oracle asked looking through all the data on her monitors.

Jono shrugged. "Well luv we're basically human except for one small gene that gives us our powers. Normally it's activated at puberty but there are exceptions. Unfortunately it also means most humans from my world and others don't look kindly on us."

"How so?"

"Let me use the Sentinels as an example. These are huge machines designed by the Government that are used to hunt down and kill any and all mutants, regardless of their age, sex or even if they're not a threat like the mutant only has increased intelligence or denser bones."

Oracle looked away from her data. "You mean they just kill anyone that's a mutant? That's barbaric!"

Jono nodded solemnly. "Yeah...another word is genocide. Take me pal Vincent. His world was destroyed by those things, they started out as killing just mutants but they moved on to regular humans too." He could see the sick look on her face and was about to say something when something felt 'wrong' at the moment.

Ever since Sinister played around with his body he had been finding a few new abilities. He couldn't exactly 'read' someone's mind but he could sense it and others. He could make a 'link' with someone and a little suggestion here and there but that was it for his telepathy. Right now he 'felt' something else close to them...and it didn't feel human in fact...it gave him the creeps.

Barbara noticed his change in attitude and looked at the security logs, but they showed nothing. "They're here." He whispered, she was about to argue when he suddenly pulled her wheelchair away from the monitor as a black razor weapon flew out of nowhere and hit the monitor.

They both turned around and in the darkness they saw several glowing red eyes and then out stepped five Shadow Assassins. Oracle pulled out her fighting sticks that were always by her side, she may be in a wheelchair but she had been the first Batgirl and wasn't as 'weak' as others thought she looked. "I don't see how they could get through the security."

Jono shrugged. "If these guys do work for the Dark Circle and that group has the kind of resources as Guardian, I would be surprised if your system _did_ pick up on them.

More razor weapons where thrown and they both dodged. Jono had flung himself to the side and quickly rolled and jumped up onto his feet and blasted two of the attackers. They were flung to the far wall but they didn't seem to be fazed and just got up. "Bloody Hell."

Oracle wasn't doing much better; she was fending off two of the attackers at once. Her sticks were re-enforced and sturdy material but the blows she managed that should have seriously hurt or maim a human opponent only seem to irritate them. "How are you holding up?" She yelled over to Jono.

"Could be better, these blokes won't stay down." One of them jumped him and he was slammed into the ground onto his back. He grunted in pain and saw his attacker raise a talon three-fingered hand to finished him off. Jono managed to get one of his hands just in the right position and blasted him in the face. The dark skinned creature shrieked and held it's face with it's hands as red glowing energy was leaking through and the creature seemed to shrink and melt. "Aim for the eyes!" Jono yelled out.

Oracle tried but her weapons weren't meant for that kind of attacks and one of them managed to kick her chair over and she fell out. She looked up and saw one of he attackers with a long blade weapon raised above its head but then three batarangs landed in perfect marksmanship in all three eyes.

Jono had just finished blasting another in the face when he saw Batgirl leap from where she had come in from the roof and did a flying kick to the other one. He saw her easily dodge her opponent's attacks with speed and grace he never thought he would see. Then with lightning fast moves with her hands did three jabbing knife hand blows to the eyes.

With only one left it was easy to finish it up. After that was done Jono helped Oracle back up into her chair. "Well...that was interesting."

Jono smiled. "Tell me about it, thanks for the save Cass." She nodded at Jono.

**Morph-**

The Joker was running through the streets of Gotham as he heard a colossal explosion in the distance.

"Heh." He chuckled. "Bane go boom." He stopped to catch his breath but he jumped as he heard movement behind him. "Gah! Harley! What the hell are you doing?" He asked seeing a woman in a red and black clown outfit with a white face with a small black mask over her eyes. She was both his right hand woman and suedo-girlfriend.

"I-I'm sorry Mister J." Harley Quinn winced. "Please don't kill me..."

"There's not time for that now." The Joker replied. "Come on, let's get out of here before whoever blew up that WWE wannabe comes after us!" He said to her looking behind him.

"I'd say that it's a little too late for that... Mister J." Harley replied. The Joker turned around as he heard Harley's voice deepen. His eyes snapped wide open as he saw what was once Harley Quinn turn into something big, green and muscley version of the Hulk. "HARLEY SMASH!" The green giant roared as he raised both fists over his head.

"Oh this is gonna suck..." The Joker winced.

**Later-**

With their respective mission completed, the Exiles assembled in Oracle's clock tower. "Well I'm glad to say that Doctor Thompkins's emergency medical centre has enough medicine and pain killers and other supplies to last a life time." Heather said, it had been a very hard few hours on her, and was tired, she hadn't felt like this since her intern days, plus there had been so many people hurt that kept coming in. "What about you guys?"

"The missing kids were helping Poison Ivy harvest fruit and vegetables." Vincent replied. "There was the little matter of Clayface but I soon took care of him, you shouldn't worry about him for sometime." He finished shrugging. He omitted how he let Ivy go since he doubted anyone would believe the villainess had actually helped.

"The Joker and Harley Quinn are locked up in jail." Morph replied. "But I didn't see what happened to Bane."

"I'm afraid that there wasn't enough left on him to spread on a pizza." August replied with a grim smile. She had obviously survived the explosion but she was sporting a few cuts and bruises not to mention her clothing was a little singed and torn.

"Remind me never to piss you off." Morph winced at the image.

"I can bet that Jono's mission was a success." Oracle added. "Seeing that I'm alive and well."

"Where is tall, dark and British, anyway?" Morph asked looking around.

"Outside saying goodbye to an admirer." Oracle replied with a small smile on her face.

As Jono and Cassandra Cain were stood out on the roof of the clock tower by one of the rails over looking the city Jono looked over at the young eighteen year old crime fighter. "I know you can't talk." Jono said. "But it was nice knowing you." Cassandra smiled sweetly and blushed. Then, much to Jono's surprise, she grabbed him in a hug and kissed him straight on the lips. Jono didn't dare break up the kiss, as he wasn't sure how she would react. He didn't want to upset somebody that could easily kick his ass.

* * *

**TBC...**

_**NEXT: Exiles' day off...**_


	11. Exiles Day Off

** THE NEW EXILES  
By: The Uncanny R-Man & Agent-G  
**_Shout outs:_

Winblades: Yeah actually we had an idea of them visiting Voyager, maybe we can throw in the Borg too. As for Nastier the Dark Circle, mainly cause they've been around for a long time and their reach goes through time, space and reality.

X-Over: The Dark Circle will make their own team to deal with the Exiles, a new Weapon X but I'm not telling who the members will be so don't ask, it's going to be a surprise.

Ruby631: Not likely, he'll still be dating Stripperella.

Red Witch: Glad you still like the rewrite.

* * *

**Chapter 11: Exiles Day Off**

**-THE COMPLEX-**

**-Teleportation Room-**

Guardian was in the teleportation room, without his coat and travel bag for today. He felt like taking it easy and he wasn't thinking of traveling so he left them in his room in one of the towers. Heather had asked him to meet her there and he had a good idea for what, in fact he was surprised it took so long for her to ask him. He heard the doors open and Heather walked in. She was in more normal attire, just plain pants, a shirt and a jacket.

"So I take it you want to visit home?" Guardian asked with a smile.

"Yeah, guess you'd figure I would ask sooner or later right?"

He nodded. "Of course luckily every person has their own unique quantum signature so finding your reality is easy enough, just step on up and grab a recall device and I'll send you there."

Heather smiled, she felt so good to go home and finally see her husband again, it was so long and she missed him so much, plus it would be great to see her old team Alpha Flight again too. She was wondering how much things had changed since she had been gone as she clipped a recall device to her belt.

Guardian punched in commands to the console and waited for it to engage but instead a beeping noise sounded. He got a confused look on his face and tried again, but nothing still happened. He ran a system analysis but it showed up fine, but there was still an error message he was getting.

"What's wrong?" Heather asked him. She felt her heart sudden drop as a feeling of dread came over her. At first he didn't say anything he just kept on working.

"I'm sorry Heather but...I don't understand why but the computer can't get a lock on your world...or any world that's similar to it for about ten MWMS." (Multiple World Measurement System, a way of measuring the distance of how other worlds are different from each other)

"I can establish a lock to other worlds out side the effected area but...I can't get a lock." He looked up at Heather. "I'm sorry but I can't get you home...not now at least." Seeing the tears starting to form on Heather's face he went over to her and gently placed his hands on her shoulders. "I promise you I'll look into this, only certain things can cause this and I should be able to get you home...it will just take some time."

"You mean it?" Heather nearly pleaded with him.

He nodded to her his face very serious. "Trust me, I _will_ get you home. This I swear."

**-Later that Day-**

The Exiles were in the gym doing some training. They hadn't had any missions for the last few days so they took that time to relax and train. They had already given the training rooms a workout yesterday and Blink thought they should work on their bodies next.

Morph of course had a joke about this that won't be repeated. Morph was on a jogging machine with Jono next to him on another one. It took a few minutes and a little threatening of a few of the Exiles to get Morph to stop wearing the lime green spandex.

The two were basically trying to see who could do it the longest. Heather was at the bench, pressing some weights. Well actually it was a metallic bar that had gravity generators in it so it could simulate any weight like all the equipment had. She was in some black sweats and a matching tank top.

Blink was near her working on a machine for her upper body. She was in a green one piece with no sleeves and that went down her legs to her mid thigh, working up a sweat like the others.

August and Vincent were on a mat nearby sparing. August was in an all white ensemble that was sweat pants and tank top, while Vince had a full on Karate gi on. It was sleeveless and they saw a scar he had on his left arm, they hadn't seen before since he usually kept pretty covered up all the time.

When they asked he just said he got it as a kid and they left it at that. August went for punch to the face then followed with a kick at that moment. Vince blocked the punch with his right arm and then with his left deflected her kick back to the floor, then stepped inside for an elbow strike to her gut with his left arm.

She staggered back a few steps. "You alright?" Vince asked her.

"Yeah, nice counter I'll have to remember that one." She replied straightening up.

"Nice ink there August." Morph said to her from the treadmill. From his view he could see a pentagram tattoo just above her backside since her shirt only when above the navel.

"Thanks." August said back without taking her eyes on her opponent. For the past ten minutes they had been going at it and she only managed a few shots to get past him. What was really galling her was the smile he had on his face. "You mind telling me why you're smiling so much?"

"You have any idea how hard it is for me to have a decent sparring partner?" Vince said to her slowly moving in a circle around her with his guard up. "I mean Heather can give me a challenge in strength but that other form she has makes for sparring a little awkward."

August considered this. "Yeah I see your point." They continued to go at it until Vincent flipped her on her butt at one point. She glared at him as she got up and he still had on that damn smile. She resolved to wipe that off of his face.

Blink was watching them go at it and decided to take a breather. "Damn those two are really going at it." She commented to Heather next to her. Heather was just finishing up her last set and placed the bar back on the holder. Even though she knew if she dropped it, the safety devices in the bar would turn the gravity to the opposite and stop the bar if it fell too fast.

Heather sat up and wiped off the sweat from her forehead with a towel next to her looking at the two. "Yeah you're right."

Thump. "Damn it." August said in frustration.

"Yeah but I think August is losing her focus." Blink commented with a small smirk on her face.

Thump. "Son of a-"

"Gee what make you say that?" Heather said slightly amused.

Thump "#&!"

Blink and Heather chuckled at her language. August was really starting to get pissed at this point. She was getting tire of landing on her butt, and if she didn't know any better she swore he was doing it on purpose.

She calmed down and decided to try something else. She got ready and charged in then as Vince threw out a punch she immediately turned her entire body to the left. Vincent tried to get his right arm out in time but she deflected it with her left and got in close enough to grab his gi with her right.

August shifted all her weight back until she was landing on the mat and used her foot to propel him back. She still had a hold on his top and it ripped right off in her hands, unable to take the strain.

She heard him hit the mat and quickly got up. "Ha! Got you, you-gasp!" Her hand went to her mouth as she saw him getting up without a top on. His back was to her and she and everyone else now could see the many scars on his frame. His back had one huge one across it and there were many little ones too and one on his right ribs.

Vincent kept his head down. He hated this part when people found out, they would ask questions he hated getting into. He hated them because they forced him to remember how he got them, and for someone with a photographic memory that wasn't a pleasant thing. He just slowly got up and started walking off, not looking at the others.

"Vincent I'm sorry I didn't know." August said to his retreating form. The other Exiles looked on stopping what they were doing. August made to go after him but Blink held her arm.

"Let him go." She said to her. "I'll find him later and have a talk with him." She said in her leader voice. August nodded.

Blink took the time to change and started looking around. She ported to his room, the library, the training rooms and the garden but so far she couldn't find him. She was walking the halls trying to figure out where he was, but the problem with the Complex was that it was so large anyone could get privacy here.

An idea hit her. "Alfred." She commanded and the green hologram showed up. "Can you tell me where Vincent is?"

"I am afraid he requested privacy." He stated in the cultured British accent of his.

"Alfred this is important I need to know where he is." Blink said seriously.

"As leader of the Exiles you have been given high enough clearance to override such commands." Alfred told her.

"Then do it." She told him. "Tell me where he is."

"He's in the lookout." Alfred told her. Blink knew that the lookout was one of four towers at the complex. The North tower was the Keep. A place that Guardian used to hold certain items that could be dangerous and his Nexus Room, his personal quarters, a personal library and other things too. The Exiles didn't have access to the lower levels of that tower since all the sensitive material was in it and they were fine with that, if that level was locked in such a secure place it most likely wasn't wise to go in there.

The south tower was basically an observatory. The east was where the all the storage rooms and teleporter was. The last one the west tower was called the lookout. It was basically what it sounded like. The top was opened up to the air and had the best view of the complex. As she stepped out of the portal she saw him there in new clothing leaning forward against the railings looking into the distance. "I was wondering how long it would take for someone to find me." He said sadly.

"Vince, you didn't have to leave like that, we would have understood." She said caringly walking up to him. She noticed in his hands a rosary.

He sighed. "I know, but...I hate the looks of pity...all my life when people see my scars they always give me that look of pity...I hate it. That...and the memories that get brought up that I like to forget, but since I can't thanks to this stupid photographic memory...the best I can do is just push it far away."

She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Vince...what happened to you?" He turned his head to face her and she saw in his eyes the look of deep pain and sorrow. He always seemed so strong to her, so confident but there was none of that here. She realized this was a side of himself he kept hidden to the world.

This was the hurt and painful side of his being. He started to tell her his life story, how at three years of age he was taken, his mother killed in front of his eyes by men in black combat suits, they shot her right in front of his eyes when he was just three years old. How he and eleven other children were experimented on, they were trained in barbaric fashion, drugged up, and even beaten. How he escaped that place when it was under attack, how there was a hole he had jumped through to his death, not wanting to be 'saved' by the scientist. He fell to what he thought was his death into a river, but the experiments had activated his powers early and he had survived the fall. He told her how he spent a whole year on the streets completely alone in the world until he found his way to Toronto and Father Michaels the priest in charge of the orphanage had given him a home when he was seven years old.

At the end he had a few tears falling and she too couldn't help to either.

"I know what Hell is Clarice." He told the girl looking into the distance. "It's where you have no hope. Where there is light everywhere yet nothing but darkness surrounds you. Instead of a lake of fire, there's nothing but cold metal and stale air. Where demons wear the faces of humans in lab coats and hide behind the titles of doctors."

"It's a place where you are totally alone in the world, you have nothing, you are nothing. And there's nothing but a great emptiness in you that never fills. And your days are filled with only pain, suffering and despair." He put his head down and shut his eyes. "It's a place where innocence is stolen, and you aren't even treated like you're a living being."

"I lived for three years in a hell on Earth, my childhood stolen from me, my identity taken, my life and whatever I could have been was destroyed. I was nothing, had nothing, and no one cared."

She placed a hand on his. "I know what that's like too." He looked into her eyes and even though they were pure green he could tell she did know. "When I was growing up on my world, my town was attacked by Apocalypse's forces led by Sinister. He put my family in one of those god awful camps...I never saw them again and I'm pretty sure they died in that place." She wiped away a tear; she barely even could remember their faces anymore. She crossed her arms hugging herself thinking back to her childhood years.

"Then I was taken to one of Sinister's experiment camps. A place where he like to experiment on kids...I was one of them. For years I was in a cell as he did things to me...to other kids. It wasn't until Mr. Creed saved me from that place and raised me like a father."

Vincent placed his hand on her shoulder. "Kind of ironic...here we both are bot similar pasts, our worlds gone...it's strange, almost makes a person believe in fate."

"You don't believe in fate?"

Vincent got a grin look on his face. "No...I refuse to believe that kind of stuff happens for a reason, there was no reason behind that, and I can't believe it was all planned out...if it was then everything I was taught to believe about God by the priest that raised me would be put into question...that...and I don't like the idea of our lives being controlled."

Blink thought about how Timebroker had done that to her and her friends. "Yeah...I can see your point. But things got better, they are better now aren't they?" She asked him.

He got a small smile on his face. "Yeah, things are better now." They both looked over the view just standing there and enjoying the peace and quiet. They both felt a type of peace that for years they both had searched for.

"I like this place." Blink said quietly.

Vincent nodded. "So do I...It's one of the few places where I can find a sense of peace. If you want...I can show you a few more places you might like that I found."

Blink looked at him and smiled. "I'd like that."

IN THE GARDEN

August was in the garden of the complex, it was a huge area in the center of the building with many plants from all over the multi-verse, some that were the last of their kind in their respected realities, as well as a Japanese rock garden, a small hedge maze and a small temple for meditation. In one area of the garden there was an open circular area where people could eat, drink or whatever at the tables and chairs there. An order-bot was there, which was a spherical shaped robot that would take order and would bring them back on a tray connected to the bottom of it.

August was swirling a spoon in her coffee. Alfred had told them that Blink had found Vince and they were having a talk, there was also a message from Blink to August that said Vince didn't hold any ill feelings to her.

She was happy about that but her thoughts were on other matters now. I had been nearly a month since she was freed from Limbo and she was enjoying her new life. But she missed her old one, especially a certain someone she whished was right beside her now.

"Penny for your thoughts?" August turned to see Heather walking up to her now in a plain pair of jean and a yellow silk shit. She sat down next to her. "What's wrong?"

August sighed. "Do you ever miss it? You're old life?"

Heather's face grew solemn. "Yes...especially my husband James."

August's head snapped up. "Oh God I didn't know you were married! How was he? I mean is he still back in your world?" Heather nodded and August couldn't help but feel her pain. She reached over and took her friend's hand. "I'm sorry to hear that, do you think that maybe Guardian could you know...bring him here?"

"I asked him that...he said he would try but something is messing with him trying to get him from locking on to my world and a few others too. But he told me he would find a way...it would just take some time.

"That's good, hope can be a thing that can keep a person going." August told her.

"What about you? I know you lost you fiancée...if you don't mind, you want to talk about it?" Heather asked.

August thought about it. She missed Kurt so much, and everyone she had known was now gone, it would be nice to have someone she could share her memories of him...if would be nice to have his memory live on. "Well what can I say about him?" She said with a smile growing on her face. "He was such a kind, gentle soul, who cared for everyone. I couldn't help but fall hopelessly in love with him when we met. He was so charming and sweet, and even romantic too."

Heather sighed. "Sounds nice."

"It was." Then August got a grin on her face. "Plus there were things he could do with that tail of his that made my eyes roll back too."

"August!" Heather said blushing a little. "A little too much information!" She said then started to laugh. August blushed too and then joined in. They talked about Kurt and Heather's husband and shared their memories of their loved ones. All the good memories, the bad, the moments that were hilarious, everything.

REC. ROOM

Morph was looking through the data crystals in the older on the wall next to the Vid-screen.

"Will you just pick something already?" Chamber said annoyed that the shape sifter was taking his sweet time. Guardian then walked in seeing them. Chamber looked to him. "Don't tell me we got ourselves a mission."

He gave a small laugh. "No you don't but I was wondering if all of you would like a tour to one of the cities?"

Morph and Chamber looked at each other. "Sure thing Guv, I could use some time away from here, not this place isn't great, but we could use the time among other people you know?"

The immortal nodded and grinned. "Oh I do know that's why I'm hoping you all will enjoy Haven City. It's the fist city made on this world and should have everything you all will need to see."

"Cool I'm up for it!" Morph said standing up. "Are we taking the teleporter there?"

"Uh...that's a little extreme to use a device used to take a person through space and time and other realities just to go to a city several kilometers away." Guardian said. Morph looked a little sheepish at his suggestion. "Besides I think I got something to take you all there."

"Really? What?" Morph asked excitedly.

"Come with me and see." Guardian said and walked to the door. After calling on Alfred the other Exiles joined up with them all at an elevator on the West end of the Complex. They asked Guardian what he was going to show them but he only smiled and said it was a surprise. They all rode in the large circular shaped elevator down into the mountain that the Complex was built on. When the elevator stopped and opened everyone was surprised to hind themselves in a huge hanger area that was about one hundred feet high.

"Damn, what's with the tall ceiling?" Morph asked.

"It's for those." Guardian said and pointed to the far wall to several very large robotic like machines.

"You got Gundams!" Vincent said looking at them. Everyone gave him a questioning look. "It's an anime, I used to be into giant robots, you know stuff like Transformers and stuff...at least I _used_ to think they were cool." He explained. There were a variety of other craft, some even familiar like a ship that looked like the Millennium Falcon from the Star Wars movies only more smooth and shiny, an X-wing, a Viper from Battlestar Gallactica and many other vehicles too.

He led the group to what looked like a futuristic black limo, with a very sleek design. He touched a small pad on the door and it slid open. "You can all fit in and you can ask the robot river to take you to Haven City. If there's anything or something you'd like to see ask him, I programmed him with all the latest information on the city."

"I got a question how does this thing drive?" Heather asked looking at the bottom. "There aren't any wheels."

"It flies." He said simply then pulled out what looked like a garage opener and when he pressed the button the far end of the hanger opened up to show it was a massive double doors and not walls. "I hope you enjoy your trip."

"You're not coming?" Blink asked as some of the others were getting in.

"No, but thanks for the offer." He said with a smile. "I got a few things I need to take care of." He said giving Heather a look and she nodded her thanks and with that he nodded off and walked back to the elevator.

"Hey guys, you coming?" Morph said popping his head out of the sunroof. They all shared a look and smiled and they all climbed into the limo.

**TBC...**

* * *

****

**NEXT UP: THE CITY**


	12. Haven

**The New Exiles**

**By The Uncanny R-Man And Agent-G**

_Shout Outs-_

Ruby631: Glad you liked it; just remember to hide April from this chapter to prevent future mental scarring.

X-Over: Thanks, and remember any ideas or suggestions are appreciated

* * *

**Chapter 12: Haven**

**Haven City-**

The Exiles were sitting in the futuristic limo enjoying the view that passed them. August and Vincent were particularly impressed as back in their realities, they didn't get many chances to see the countryside, what with being locked up in Limbo for so long and him having to flee from giant killer robots every moment of his life.

"Man, I can't remember the last time I saw scenery this beautiful." Vince said taking in the scenery.

"I thought you said you had a photographic memory." Morph replied.

"I do." Vince told the shape shifter. "It's just that there wasn't much scenery to look at in a reality ruled by Sentinels, plus I lived in cities for most of my life."

"Does any body have any idea where we're going?" Heather asked everyone.

"Why don't we ask the driver?" Clarice replied shrugging.

"You got any strip clubs around here?" Morph asked the robot.

"**MORPH!"** The girls yelled.

"Indeed we do." The robot driver replied, turning his head in a 180 turn yet still managed to drive flawlessly, which was a little creepy. "There are a few such establishments located in the centre of Haven City. One of the best ones is called The Tender Loins."

"Well bugger me." Jono chuckled to himself remembering the name. "It looks like we might run into Stripperella."

"Stripper-who?" August asked crossing her arms, not sure if he was joking with a name like that or not.

"It's this TV show about a bird that's an exotic dancer-slash-secret agent-slash super hero." Jono replied. "I'll ask Guardian if he's got any episodes on data crystals."

"What about bars?" August asked. "Where's the best place to drink?"

"You may wish to try Harry's Hideaway." The robot driver replied. "That is located on the West side of the city. Another recommended drinking establishment is Caritas. That is a demon-run karaoke bar, friendly demons only I assure you and various other entities."

"Ucch, demons." August shivered. "I think I'll give that one a miss."

"The proprietor of Caritas is not an evil demon, as I have stated." The robot driver replied. "He is quite a kind gentleman. He reads your aura when you sing and predicts your destiny."

"How about shopping?" Heather asked. "Have you got any decent shopping malls?"

"Several." The driver replied. "They are all dotted about the city."

"Well I know where I'm going tomorrow." Heather grinned.

"I think I might join you." August replied. "All this black leather is getting kind of boring, don't you think?" She glanced down at her clothing.

"I think it's kinda hot." Morph replied as he put his arm around August's shoulder and gave her a lecherous wink.

"Take your hand off before I burn it off." August growled menacingly. Morph did as he was told and spent the rest of the journey sitting in silence.

**Later-**

The car containing our heroes stopped outside Harry's Hideaway, a two story building with a neon sign. Everybody got out and took a look at their surroundings.

"This is surreal." August said. "It's almost like a piece of Salem Centre's been transplanted right on this spot, not to mention all the other stuff." She gestured around her to other various parts of the city. It was a mixture of old, recent and things that normally you would see in science fiction films, such as floating structures, architecture that wasn't as rigid and in right angles that they normally had seen in their lives.

"Who says that it hasn't?" Vincent replied. "You know how powerful Guardian is and the resources that guy has."

"All this talking' giving me a thirst." Morph said rubbing his hands together. "I dunno about you guys but I'm gonna get me a drink."

"I think I might join you." Jono replied. "Ladies? Vince?"

"I wanna see what the Bloody Mary's are like here." August replied. "Harry always did make them the best."

"Just beer for me." Heather added. "Good old-fashioned Canadian beer, right Vince?"

"You read my mind." The Canadian samurai grinned. "What about you Clarice, what's your poison of choice?"

"Margaritas." Blink replied. "Blame Heather for that, she got me fixed on them."

"That just begs to ask one question." Jono said. "How are we gonna pay for these?"

"Guardian gave me these credit slips." Clarice replied. "They're kind alike credit cards. You just give them to the barman, he swipes it through a machine and you get your drink."

"Another important question." August said. "What's the limit?"

"There isn't one." Clarice replied with a grin. "You can just keep on spending and not run out. Apparently he's stashed a lot of cash over the years and he said and I quote 'Even if all of you spent your lives on shopping sprees you might only put a slight dent in my cash reserves' end quote."

"I think I'm going to like it here." August nodded.

**Inside-**

Much to the Exiles' surprise, the interior of the bar was very much like the Harry's Hideaway of their reality, not Clarice, Vince and Heather's of course, for obvious reasons such as none of them lived in New York and this was their first time in any version of the bar.

"The first rounds on me." Clarice said as they got in. "Seeing that I'm team leader. You guys grab a seat and I'll be with you in a sec." The other Exiles did as they were told while Clarice went to get the drinks. They decided upon a corner booth with a large round table.

"Oh my God!" August gasped and pointed. "Look over there, it's the Scarlet Witch!" Only not in her costume but in plain clothing talking to a group at her table, and not far off was her were other familiar faces.

'There's Pete Wisdom!" Jono replied seeing the British man who was unshaven, smoking and apparently swearing at someone...in other words a typical Pete Wisdom.

"That looks like Wolfsbane and Cypher." Morph added seeing the redheaded Scottish werewolf and blond mutant. They looked like they were on a date since they were sitting alone and kind of close. They looked around and saw many people, some weren't even human.

There were a group of people that look human, only perfect looking and with these bladed bone things coming out of their forearms. "What are those guys?" Morph asked seeing the group.

"Nietzscheans." (1) Vincent said, looking at what Morph meant. "They're an offshoot of humans called, Homo sapiens invictus. Basically a group of human through genetic and nanotechnology to alter themselves and make themselves better then before." Everyone looked at him and he looked at the others. "I read a file about some of the people that live on this world and some of the species here."

"So...they're kind of like us?" Jono asked. "Human but...not exactly human?"

Vincent nodded. "Kind of...but they hate being referred to as human, they think any unmodified human is lower with them because of inferior genes."

"Charming people." August muttered to herself.

Heather looked over at another corner. "Hey...are those Klingons?" Everyone turned to see three Klingon males in their usual black battle suits drinking and shouting and looking like they were having a drunken good time.

"Damn...you never know who, or what you're going to see in this world." Morph said to everyone.

"Here are your drinks guys." Clarice said as he walked up with a tray. "Bud for Morph, Carling for Jono, Molson for Vince and Heather, Margarita for me and a Bloody Mary for August. Man you wouldn't believe who is running the bar."

"Want a bet?" Morph said taking his drink with a smile. He looked over at the bar and saw an African-American man that looked like Will Smith. "Hey isn't that..."

"No it isn't." Blink told her passing out the drinks. "His name is Jay, get this...he used to be an MIB agent."

"You mean that character Will Smith played?" Jono asked. "Damn...you'd think I would stop being surprised but there we go again." He took his drink and raised it to the others. "Cheers!" Jono said.

"Cheers!" the others replied as they clinked their glasses together.

"Mmm, damn that's good." Morph said. "Just the right temperature. Unlike British beer."

"Oh yeah, thanks Morph." Jono groaned. "Let's start with the bloody stereotypes, British beer is warm, all Brits talk like Mary Poppins rejects..."

"Let's not start arguing." Clarice said putting a few finger to her temple. These two had had this argument more times then she cared to remember. "We're here for a night out, okay?"

"Whose round is it next?" August asked as she polished off her Bloody Mary.

"MORPH!" The others replied in unison.

"Traitors." Morph muttered as he got up from his seat and walked towards the bar.

"Same again for me." August called after him.

"Us too!" The other added. Morph took a seta by the bar and waited for the barman to take his order. He then noticed a familiar figure sitting next to him, the bikini-clad Avenger, Tigra.

"Give me a White Russian." The weretiger told Jay the barman. "Hold the ice, the vodka and the Kahlua." (2)

"You just want cream, on it's own?' Jay asked her not sure if he had heard that right.

"D'oy!" Tigra replied rolling her eyes. "I am a cat!"

**Later-**

After several rounds at Harry's the Exiles decided to split up. The girls decided to check out the karaoke bar while the guys, after much prodding from Morph, decided to check out the strip club. The girls took the limo as the guys caught a cab.

"I'm not so sure about this." Vincent said. "I'm not really the sort for strip clubs, Hell I was raise by a priest, if he ever seen me go into one of those I would get a lecture form here till doomsday."

"C'mon buddy." Morph replied putting an arm over his shoulder. "It's time to take part in the ultimate male chauvinistic past time, strip clubs!"

"Just don't expect me to stuff dollar bills, or whatever they use since apparently they don't use that kind of money here, down some woman's g-string, okay?" Vince sighed.

"I just wanna see if this Tender Loins is like the TV show." Jono added. "It'll be weird if the have Pamela Anderson there."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Morph said stopping and grabbing Jono by his shoulders. "They have Pamela Anderson in this show? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Heck, even I've heard of Pamela Anderson." Vince added. "I used to watch Baywatch too."

**Caritas-**

The girls had just walked into the karaoke bar and were looking over the clientele. Surprising for a demon bar, there weren't many demons about. There was one guy whose face looked like a purple hedgehog and another demon whose skin hung down in flaps. (3)

"Well this doesn't look to bad." August said looking and seeing that these demons weren't as bad or as threatening as the ones she had known. "I may even consider having fun.'"

"I might even sing something." Heather added. "I don't know what though."

"As long as it isn't Celine Dion, we'll be alright." August replied.

"She makes me feel ashamed to be Canadian.' Heather groaned. "What about you Clarice, you going to sing?"

"I'm not too sure." Clarice replied thoughtfully. "I'm not much of a singing person, y'know?"

"Well I'm gonna go up and see what they've got to sing." Heather said smiling and headed for the stage.

"I'm starting to dread coming here now." August winced. "I just know that she's going to book us to sing as a trio."

"Heather wouldn't do that." Clarice replied but then she thought about it. "Would she?"

"Hey you've known her longer then me." August replied to her friend.

**Tender Loins-**

The guys had grabbed a seat and waited for the show to begin. Morph already had a handful of dollar bills ready and was waiting eagerly. Apparently there was a machine where you put the credit chips into and they put out 'dollar' bills that the girls would exchange after the show for credit chips.

Vincent however was a little nervous. It's not that he didn't like the female form; it's just that he was brought up to respect women and not to think of them as sexual objects to be drooled over.

"Try not to worry so much." Jono told him. "You never know, you might have fun." He said while looking at some of the girls walking around. Then their attention was brought to the stage where a pig-tailed redhead was wearing a schoolgirls' uniform.

"Look familiar to you, Jono?" Morph asked.

"Yeah." Jono replied smiling seeing someone he knew of as a fictional character but now in the flesh. "That's Giselle, she's from Camel Toe, Missouri." Morph let out a snort of laughter.

"Oh grow up." Vincent groaned.

**Caritas-**

August was mentally kicking herself for agreeing to go check out the karaoke bar with the others. Heather and Clarice had forced her to sing 'Get This Party Started' with them. No matter how she tried, she couldn't get out of singing the song. After the song had finished August slunk off to the bar, not interested in hearing her destiny.

"Give me a Bloody Mary." She told the bartender.

"You want real blood with that?"

"Do I even look like a vampire?" August glared.

"Well you've got the whole Goth chick going on." The bartender replied who was anything but human considering he had four arms, deep blue skin and four yellow eyes. "You never know, we get all kinds in here. Take a look at that guy." He points to a scruffy looking guy with shades, five o'clock shadow, slim build, talking to someone with a Irish accent in a white t-shirt with a jacket with the sleeves torn off over it. He was swearing up a storm while downing a pitcher of beer and with a smoke too. (4)

"That there is Cassidy, and if you can believe it he's a vampire. Although he doesn't look or act like it."

"Just get me the damn drink." August groaned as she held her head in her hands in embarrassment. She took the risk of looking back at the stage and saw Heather and Clarice preparing to sing another song. "Oh God..." She groaned.

"Something the matter?" A voice asked from beside her.

"It depends if you define two friends obsessed about karaoke music something the matter." August replied, not even looking at the guy talking to her.

"I'm Kurt Wagner by the way." Said the man.

August's head swung around as soon as she heard the familiar name.

"Kurt?" She gasped and she froze at the sight of him.

He blinked a few times himself before he found his voice "You're August, right?" Kurt asked.

"H-how did you know?"

"Well, you looked so much like somebody that I used to know." Kurt replied.

"Let me guess." August continued. "She was took away from you before her time."

"Yes." Kurt replied slightly sad from the memory. "Legacy Virus."

"I'm sorry." August sighed. "I used to know a Kurt. He was killed by my mother though."

"Selene." Kurt replied. "She never did agree with our relationship."

"Can I buy you a drink?" August replied. "I'm here with some friends."

"The ones singing on stage?" He said jerking a hand over his shoulder to the two women on the stage.

"Yup." August replied. "It doesn't look like I'm going anywhere fast."

"In that case, I'd love to have a drink." Kurt said.

After their set Heather and Blink saw a demon with green skin, red eyes two little horns on his head and wearing a lout yellow jacket perfect for going up on stage on. "Well you girls are in a singing mood I must say." His voice was kind and not what you would expect from a demon.

"We're not that bad are we?" Blink asked him.

The demon smiled. "Of course not my little purplish princess, I'm Lorne by the way the owner and operator of this establishment and believe you me, I've heard much worse. So...do any one of you care to know your destiny?"

Both girls looked and each other and shrugged so he took that as a sign and went up to Heather. "Don't worry sweetheart, you'll see your husband again, I'm not sure when but keep the faith."

"Really?" Heather asked hopefully. Lorne nodded and Heather felt better about not being able to get home. Then he turned to Blink.

"I know you're still hurting after your last love left...but you'll get over it and trust old Lorne on this. Keep your heart open and you'll find someone else that will make your soul sore in the sky again."

Blink was surprised by that, she knew that she might get over Mimic eventually but she never thought of anyone after him.

**Tender Loins-**

Giselle had finished her set and it was then time for the main act, Erotica Jones! As soon as her name was announced, a huge whoop rose up from the audience, even Morph, who didn't even know who the woman was. Erotica strutted onto stage clad head-to-toe in black leather. She stopped at the bottom of the stage where a dancing pole stood. She wrapped her legs around it and began to spin around.

She was a dead ringer for Pamela Anderson, right down the tattoos.

"Man, this place rocks!" Morph grinned. "Right guys?"

"It's alright I suppose." Vince shrugged. "I'm still not big on stuffing dollar bills in g-strings, even if this woman is the spitting image of Pamela Anderson." Then he tilted his head. "Although I'm not sure if the real Pamela Anderson can bend like that." That sight was enough to even tempt him to put a few dollars in her g-string; he had to use some will power not to try it.

"What do you think, Jono?" Morph asked. "Jono?" He looked at his friend when he didn't answer him. Jono wasn't interested in what Morph had to say, he was hypnotised by the vision of beauty dancing on stage.

After Erotica's dance and that of a few other girls, some that were even mutants and aliens, like one of those green skinned Orion women from Star Trek and one of those Twi'lek women with the two head tails from Star Wars too.

Erotica had finished her set and was sitting at the bar having a drink. She saw somebody approach from out of the corner of her eye.

"Go on Jono, ask her out. Seriously man, she's got the hots for you!"

"Don't be so stupid, Morph. She most probably gets this every night."

Erotica smiled to herself. The guy talking was somebody that she saw in the audience. She guessed from his accent that he was British. As soon as she saw him sitting in the audience she was struck by how handsome he was, in a dark brooding kind of way.

"Can I help you?" She asked turning around to them.

Jono shot a glare at Morph before replying. "Uh... you most probably get this a lot but... can I buy you a drink?"

"Well I do get asked that a lot." Erotica replied. "But not from somebody as good-looking as you." She said with a smile and Jono just blinked a few times in confusion.

"Y-you think I'm good-looking?" He wasn't used to having women think that of him after most of his face had been gone for so long, usually they went out with him because they had a thing for the strange or weird like that singer that Paige had seen him with. Even though he had his face back for a few months, he was still unaccustomed to this.

"Sure. Why don't you sit with me for a while?" She said patting the seat next to her.

"Kay..."

**Later still-**

Jono was still talking to Erotica when the club was closing up. Morph was trying to follow his example by hitting on Giselle, but to no avail, she was more interested in Vincent.

"Say where are y'all from anyway?" The southern stripper asked him as Vincent was in one of the seats drinking a beer.

"Originally? Canada."

"Oh I just love foreign men, do y'all know any other language then English?"

Vince smiled a little. "Several." He spoke in a few mainly French, Japanese and a little German.

"Oh that was so nice." She said and surprised him by sitting down on his lap. He was trying to also not stare at her impressive cleavage witch was close to his face and the fact she was wearing a tight yellow shirt that had the top buttons undone and blue jean shorts on. "Say...are ya single?"

"Uh... yes." He was a little nervous mainly because he was a little old fashioned and like to get to know a girl a bit before they got this close, not that he didn't mind it was just a little sudden and caught him off guard.

She smiled sweetly at him. "Ya know ah got the next few days off if ya want to meet up later."

Vincent's face fell a little. "I'm sorry, you're really nice and I would like to...but...I lost a few people including a few that were...close to me. Let's just say I'm not ready to go dating just yet."

She seemed to understand. "Oh ah'm sorry ta hear that. Well...maybe another time then."

Back with Erotica and Jono, she was telling him about her life. "Well as I said I used to be an exotic dancer-slash-secret agent but when you work in a place such as New Haven, there isn't much need for a secret agent, so I became an exotic dancer full time."

"Well that's better than the life I used to have I suppose." Jono said. "I was almost killed when the guy I was snooping on found out about it but the Exiles rescued me just in time and now I work for them."

"So you're the guys that moved into that big place up on the mountain." Erotica said interesting in that. "What's it like there?"

"It's bloody huge." Jono replied. "You've got everything you want there, a kickass library, garage full of cars and stuff, you name it, we've got it, well technically he's got it but we get to use it."

"That sounds so cool." Erotica nodded. "You'll have to show me sometime."

"Does that mean that you..."

"Like you?" Erotica finished off. "Of course, you're cute and I'd like to get to know you better. Here, let me give you my number..."

A huge grin spread on Jono's face as Erotica took out a pen and paper form her purse and wrote down her number.

'Who needs Paige Guthrie when you have Erotica Jones.' Jono thought to himself.

After an hour Jono got a call from some a type of cell phone that he had picked up from the limo before they had split up, Clarice called to tell them they were on their way. Jono said goodbye to Erotica and found Vincent by the bar and then they had to get Morph. They found him talking to two of the strippers one was the same green skinned Orion woman from earlier and another green skinned Twi'lek.

"Come on Morph we're leaving." Vincent told him.

Morph; who had both arms around both girls who seemed interested in him, he wasn't ready to go. "Come one guys, just a little longer." He whined. "I'm about to get digits from green skinned babes! Green skinned babes!" (5)

Jono and Vincent shared a look and just grabbed Morph and dragged him out literally kicking and screaming. "Bye, bye Morphy." One of the girls said. "Come back anytime."

Jono and the other guys were now outside waiting for the girls. "I can't believe you didn't ask for her number." Morph said shaking his head. "Man, Vince, that Giselle chick so had the hots for you."

"I'm sure she did, Morph." Vince replied. "But I'm just not ready for dating yet...although it was tempting."

"What about you Jono, you seemed pretty chummy with Erotica." Morph said elbowing him in the ribs slightly.

"Nothin' too major." Jono replied nonchalantly. "I'm only going on a date with her next week."

"Lucky stiff." Morph muttered.

**TBC...**

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**NEXT UP CHAPTER 13: THE PRODIGY CHILD**

_Notes-_

(1)- Nietzscheans are form Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda.

(2)- From the Catwoman movie.

(3)- It's Doyle and Clem form Angel and Buffy respectively.

(4)- The Vampire Cassidy is from the comic book Preacher

(5)- Green skin babes line from Megas cartoon


	13. The Profigy Child

**THE NEW EXILES **

**By: The Uncanny R-Man & Agent-G**

_Shout outs:_

X-Over: One of the Project Prodigy children from another reality will show and and be recruited. Maybe they'll go back to Mojo world, it has possibilities.

Rugy631: Actually Skip turned out to be a bad guy so that's why he wasn't there.

* * *

**Chapter 13: The Prodigy Child**

**THE COMPLEX**

He was back in hell, or at least what he considered hell. There they were all twelve of them about six years old in plain white clothing on a cold metal floor. They were looking at the training course and of course their Keeper a brutal man only known as Simmons. The man had brown hair and a beard and an ugly face with a constant sneer on his face.

He looked at the kids in contempt. "You little freaks think that was good?" He asked them refereeing to their latest attempt at the course a few of the kids were bleeding but not badly enough to require medical attention. "That was pathetic, you're supposed to be weapons! And weapons you'll be!" He saw him grab the girl next to him, she had dark hair and green eyes. She was Prodigy 6.

He grabbed the girl and threw her to the floor roughly, when she tried to stand he stomped on her back causing her to cry out. "Stay down!" He commanded and walked to the side and grabbed a nasty looking whip. "When you fail you get punish, you all know this so why do I have to keep punishing you little brats?"

The boy only known as Prodigy 7 watched as the man raised his hand with the over his head the intent was clear and he knew that he couldn't let that happen. He moved as fast as he could and jumped on top of her just as the whip came down. He bit his lip so hard blood came from it as he whimpered from the pain of the whip tearing his flesh. "What the hell do you think you're doing Seven?" He asked and yanked the boy up off the ground by his hair to see his face. "You think that was funny boy? I asked you a question!" He dropped the boy onto the ground and kicked him in the ribs.

The boy felt some of his ribs break and he was losing consciousness the last thing he remembered was being dragged off to the infirmary and looking at seeing one of the scientist yelling at their Keeper. He saw Prodigy Six still on the ground watching him tears in her eyes.

Vincent woke up with a start. He looked around and tried to remember where he was. "Lights." He said and the room's lights turned on. He looked at the timer and saw it was still early. He also knew he wasn't going to get any more sleep that night and decided to work off that nightmare...which was actually memories of his past. That was the day he got that huge scar on his back. He got dressed in a white gi and sent to the training area.

He entered one of the plain white training rooms. "Computer access program Mayhem 6, level 5."

"Compliance." Said the monotone computer and the area changed back to the ruined remains of his city he heard the thunderous sounds of giants and looked behind him calmly. "MUTANT TARGER AQUIRED." Came the deep booming voice of three Sentinels.

Mayhem just looked at them his eyes glowing crimson. "Bring it." He said coldly to them.

**-Later that day-**

The girls were riding the elevator back to the main level and the floor was nearly filled with bags of the shopping trip to the Haven City. They had gone to a mall that the robot driver offered them called Cloud Nine, that apparently was a large mall that hovered above the ground.

"You think we over did it a little?" Blink asked looking at their bags. Each of them had at least four bags filled with stuff.

"Nah." Heather said waving it away. "Besides did you see the look on the store owner's faces when we said price wasn't an option?"

"Oh yeah. That was priceless." August said. "I mean I think we got everything we needed, a new wardrobe, shoes, and then some."

"Not to mention a few more personal items." Heather said grinning.

"Why did you have to drag both of us to that store?" Blink said crossing her arms. She remembered how Heather Just HAD to get some lingerie for herself and talked to her and August into it too. "It's not like I got anyone in my life and need it."

"Well first off if Guardian can figure out why he can't make a connection to my universe I want something for when I see my husband again." Heather admitted. "Plus...well...I figured you two might need them anyway I mean with how August here has been meeting Kurt on a daily basis."

"Hey! We're just friends, I mean sure he's like the Kurt I knew, it's...it's just nice to hear 'his' voice you know?" August said to her. "Besides we've been comparing notes and...well...we've sort of just been a shoulder to cry on for each other since we both know what each other has been through."

"I'm sorry August, I just thought that maybe you and him would you know, take this as a way of having a second chance or something." Heather said although she could relate to that.

August shrugged. "It's alright."

"Yeah but that still doesn't explain why you had to drag me in though." Blink stated.

Both August and Heather looked at each other then to their leader. "You're kidding right?" August said with a smirk.

"Yeah I mean you and Vince have been hanging out all alone I might add for a little while." Heather said grinning too. "I mean _what_ exactly do you two do?" She said with a lecherous look.

Blink was startled by this remark. "What?! W-we just talk! I mean we both have had to live in a living hell of a world, seen friends die, had to make tough choices, fought against impossible odds and yet lose...it's just nice to have someone to relate too."

"Uh-huh." Both girls said at once Blink just fumed a little and turned away from them. As the door opened they got their bags and walked out to the living quarters. On they way there they saw Vincent walking out of one of corridors to the left, both Heather and August gave each other a look and they both understood what they wanted to other to do and grinned at what they had planned.

"Hey Vince what's up?" August shouted over to him. He stopped and walked to them and got an amused smile on his face as he saw all their purchases.

"Geez...did you girls buy out a whole store yet?"

"Ha! They wish." Heather said with a smile. "Not like we can afford it or anything. I thought you and the guys were going to try for another movie marathon or something?"

Vince looked a little uncomfortable. "Well I was...but they both decided on a horror movie marathon and I can't watch those movies."

"Too scary?" Heather said joking.

Vincent lost any good humor in his face as he got a grim expression. "I don't like the kind of killing that goes on...it brings back a few...painful memories." There was an uncomfortable silence after that, ever since Vince had gathered them together not long ago and told them of his 'childhood' they tried to avoid certain tings that would relate to that part of his life. Luckily nothing much did to everyone's relief.

Then August got a small grin but got rid of it as she thought of a way to shatter the tension. "Hey Blink all that's got to heavy, I'd carry it but my hands are full." She then elbowed Heather.

"Huh! Oh yeah, well I could too but my other form is a little awkward to carry it all you know?" Heather said catching on.

"What are you girls going on about?" Blink asked them eyeing them carefully.

"If you want a hand I wouldn't mind helping out." Vince said sincerely.

"Um...sure." Blink said handing him two bags and taking the two others herself.

"Go on we'll catch up, maybe he could help you put them away too." Heather said to her as they both left. When they were out of earshot she grinned. "Take one Canadian, add being raised by a priest and you get one polite guy who will help anyone out."

"Especially if he likes her." August said smirking. "I mean it's so obvious he likes her, I just wish I could see his face if he does help her unpack and pulls out that lingerie we got her." Heather burst out laughing at the thought of the look on his face of the tough guy and the serious one of the group with and soon August joined in. "Oh God I bet his face would get all red in a second."

"And what about Blink's, you can't say her reaction wouldn't be hilarious too." Heater said between laughs.

**NEXUS CHAMBER**

Guardian was standing on the high platform in front of the holographic controls and windows in the large and dark smooth walled room. He was looking through the multi-verse for something that needed to be fixed at the moment. He was still trying to find a way to link with Heather's reality but it was proving difficult, there were only a few reasons why something like that was happening and none of them were good. He also was trying to think of anyway to help out John Proudstar too and he was running out of options with him as well.

Then something caught his cosmic senses. He saw a young woman with long black hair and green eyes, he saw the terrorist organization named Hydra. And what he saw they had planned for the woman wasn't good. When he looked into the past he was surprised at what he found about her. He was surprised so much he lost concentration and snapped back to his normal perceptions in the Nexus Chamber.

"Well...he should find this interesting." Guardian said as he decided to do a little more research into the matter before he gathered them for a briefing.

BRIEFING ROOM – 2 HOURS LATER 

Everyone had gathered together in the briefing room. "Any bets on where we're going this time guys?" Morph asked them all.

Jono shrugged. "Wherever it is you know that we'll get right in the middle of trouble, but then again that's part of the job."

"As long as it isn't a battlefield I'm fine with it." Vincent said shrugging. Just then the huge double doors slide open and Guardian strolled in and activated the holo-projector that they were gathered around.

"Well I know you are all wondering what is going on so I'll get right to it." And image of a green multi headed creature was on screen. "There is a terrorist group known as Hydra, in this reality they recently got a new agent working for them and they're going to use her."

"Her?" Morph asked his interest going up as he sat up straighter in his chair.

Guardian sighed then went on. "Yes her." And image showed a young woman in her early twenties with long black hair and green eyes. She wore a tight black costume with a red 6 over her heart. She was athletically built, yet also had a feminine and petite form, there was also some type of metallic band around her head.

"Whoa babe alert." Morph said smiling.

Blink rolled her eyes at his comment. "What's that thing on her head?"

"I believe it to be some type of controller, you see it represses her personality and make her obedient." Guardian answered her.

"You mean that bird isn't working for them of her own free will?" Jono asked appalled by that.

"Yes." He said grimly. Then he noticed that Vincent had remained eerily quiet and had been staring at her. "I figured you'd recognize her."

"So it is her." He said in a small voice.

"Yes it is." He said the others wanted to know what they were talking about so he elaborated. "You see she was part of Project Prodigy, the same program that Vincent here was a part of in his youth. Only in this reality he didn't survive, in fact she was the only survivor of that program. You see Hydra attacked the lab and the children with the exception of her were accidentally killed."

"She is being sent to a bio lab to get a dangerous bio weapon. You're mission is two-fold. First is to not only make sure the bio weapon is safe but I want you to destroy it, August a fire ball will do it, it's too dangerous to be left in dangerous hands. Second...I want you to try and free her of that control and take her back with you."

"You mean she'll be one of us?" Heather asked.

"Sort of, I'm thinking of a support member." He said to her. "With everything going on I want reserves members just in case especially since I think we're pissing off the Dark Circle lately and it won't be long until they strike back at us in some way."

Vincent got up. "Well if that's everything then let's get going." He said sternly and in a very serious tone. The others with the exception of Blink didn't know this, but he had always blamed himself for not being able to get any of the other kids out when he escaped. To him this was a second chance to save at least one of them.

**DIMENTION M-5-7563.2**

In a top secret military base in the middle of nowhere, was where the US government used for testing of certain biological weapons. It was supposed to be a secret that no one outside the base and high-ranking people in the government knew about it, but Hydra a terrorist organization that spanned the world and they had found out that in this base was the most deadly virus ever created, and they wanted it.

So they sent their greatest weapon, a mutant woman that they bought. She had the power of gravity and was completely under their control. Thanks to a control device that was attached to her head, it kept her subservient and would carry their orders to the letter without hesitation. So when she was ordered to retrieve the virus at all cost and not to let anyone get in her way she obeyed.

The front entrance, which was carved into a mountain, was easy enough. All she did was make the gravity too much for the soldiers to stand and crushed the metal doors inward. She walked along the huge dark tunnel and as soldiers tried to gun her down all she did was make the gravity around her so strong the bullets just fell to the ground. The soldiers tried to pull back and at one point one of the guards fired a grenade at her.

She merely makes it turn at a right angle into the far wall. She walked on totally in control of the situation and unafraid. It was one of the things the band also did it suppressed her emotions too. She marked on to the inside of the complex and found an elevator.

It had an electronic lock, but she just made the door crumple and fall into the shaft. She jumped in without hesitation and slowly floated down on top of an elevator She opened the hatch and jumped in. She got rid to the doors in front of her and walked on. She looked at the walls to see if she was on the right floor and she was.

The corridors where circular and smooth with pipes on the ceiling and colored lines on the floors. On the walls there were names of the areas in colored boxes and saw which way she needed to go. At one point when she reached a junction one Security Forces man tried to surprise her with a punched but she ducked under it, and leaned forward. She raise her leg behind and over her back for a kick to his face and as he staggered back she kicked him in the chest and flipped and with the other leg sent a kick under his chin, making him land on his back out cold and she ended her flip kick combo into a crouching position.

She got up and moved on. She encountered other resistance but with used her powers or her fighting skills to subdue them. She finally reached a vaulted area and she stretched out her arms and concentrated and the hinges crumpled like paper then the door well inward. She saw her objective, it was a container the size of a thermos.

She went to reach for it but suddenly a purple glowing thing stuck it and it disappeared. She turned around to face the Exiles. Blink now had the canister in her possession. She threw it up into the air. "August now!"

August didn't need to be told twice and blasted it, with as much force as her fire powers could muster making sure to incinerate any trace of it. "Well that was easy." Morph said.

"Yeah but now we got the bird to deal with mate, and I don't think she's going down easy." Chamber said pointing to Prodigy 6.

"Look you don't have to do this." Mayhem asked her, hoping that she might actually stop, but Vince knew that it most likely wouldn't work. She did want to stop though, she didn't want to do any of this, but she was trapped in her own body and watched helplessly as she raised her hands and started to crush the Exiles under her gravimetric force.

Only Heather, August and Vincent had the strength to still stand but just barely. "Jono, you think you could do something with her mind?" Heather strained to get out.

"No...can't...get...through...being blocked...plus...it's hard when...my body...is getting' bloody...squished!" He had even more trouble getting it out then her.

"Fine then." August sent out a fireball but she was surprised when it was deflected. "Oh...crap."

Vincent managed to get both his hands together and they glowed as he sent an energy beam at her but it too was deflected. Blink noticed a slight change in the pressure, but just slightly. "Vince! Try to break...her concentration!"

He nodded and then fired smaller beams only in a scatter shot type of attack. They too were deflected so he made more and then moved them around, it was straining and it was hard to concentrate making so many beams and varying them, but soon Prodigy 6 had to think of only the energy beams and the Exiles felt the pressure decrease.

Blink teleported behind her and kicked her in the back. With her control totally gone the pressure was also gone and all the Exiles tried for an attack. Chamber fired a blast of his psionic biokinesis energy at her but she just flipped over it. Morph tried to grab her from behind but she threw an elbow into his gut, spun and back handed him in the face then finished it with a swift high kick to the head and he staggered back against a wall. "Ouch...that girl can hit." He muttered.

Heather in her transformed state went for her, but she placed a hand on the one of the pipes above her head and seemed to force it out and sent it flying at incredible speed hitting her in the chest. Blink was next and she was joined by August as the two of them tried their fighting skills, they managed to force her back but both women were a little surprised at her skills.

Then Prodigy 6 activated her powers again and Blink fell to the floor while August fell to her knee but still threw a punch it was slow and was easily caught. August saw the woman raise her other arm in an attack but a blur caught her eye and Vincent was suddenly behind Prodigy 6.

In fact her head sharply tilted to the side and she fell to the floor. August felt the increased gravity gone and saw that Vincent's arm was where her head was and his hand in a knife like pose. She guessed he had used a chop to the back of her head.

She looked and saw that she was still breathing so he had controlled it with enough force to knock her out and not kill her. The others had gathered around her by now. "Remind me not to get on her bad side." Morph said rubbing his jaw form her kick.

Just then more soldiers came in with guns drawn. "HOLD IT!" An officer said.

"Uh...Blink I think now is a good time to make an exit." Jono said to her. She nodded and pulled out the PADD and pressed the emergency recall button and the Exiles and Prodigy 6 disappeared in a flash of light, leaving some very confused military force behind.

**LATER – BACK AT THE COMPLEX**

The woman known only as Prodigy 6 slowly opened her eyes. She looked up to see an unfamiliar setting and suddenly sat straight up and gasped. Something was different, and then it hit her. She was thinking clearly again, her mind was her own she was sure of it. She reached to her head and the band was no longer there.

"I removed that horrid device if you're wondering." Startled she turned to see a balding man in white clothing. He moved cautiously to her. "It's alright you're safe here, no will hurt you again." She wasn't sure if she believed him or not but then the doors to the far said opened and a man in dark clothing and the others she remembered fighting walked in.

"So how's our guest Doc?" The man in black asked.

"Physically she's fine...but emotionally..." The Doc trailed off leaving that in the air, Guardian nodded in understanding. While this was going on Vincent made his way to her side. He was amazed at how she looked now. The last time he had seen 'her' or the others was just as children but he did remember those eyes of hers.

"Hello...my name is Vincent Freeman...I was once known as Prodigy 7." He said to her and then he rolled the sleeve of his shirt to reveal a scar on his left arm. The woman instantly grabbed her own left arm in the same place where she had an identical scar from those days. The scars were where tracking implants were put into all the children and she noticed how his scar was identical.

Then she looked into his eyes, he was older then the last time she had seen him but his eyes were the same. "Is it...really you?" She had thought she was the only survivor, she thought she was alone in the world.

He scratched the back of his head. "Well...yes and no...it's a long story." He explained everything to her, other realities, the Exiles, the reality he came from where she was dead and he had been the only survivor. They talked for about an hour, mostly it was him answering all her questions then Guardian spoke up.

"Well now that you understand the situation I was wondering if you would like to stay?"

Her face lit up, she would like to be in this place. It felt safe to her and she had never felt that, plus there was someone here she could relate to, someone who would know what she had gone through and frankly seeing Vincent again, even though he wasn't her Vincent was still nice she remembered that day that her Vincent had taken a whip for her and other times that Prodigy 7 had comforted her and it was nice to see him again in any form. "Yes I would but what would I do?"

"Is she going to be an Exile?" Heather asked.

Guardian thought about it. "Well...not right away. She needs time to heal." He told her. 'And not just physically.' He mentally thought. "Besides I could use someone to help out on a few projects I got going at the moment so if that's alright with you miss...you know I forgot...you need a name."

The Exiles tried to help her out with names but she didn't much care for the few that were offered until Vincent spoke up. "How about April?" He asked. No one really knew it, but that name held great significance to him. The first memory he had was when he was three years old. It was of a woman that seemed to care about him even love him.

He remembered her face and her voice and remembered someone from the other room calling out to her calling her by name. He figured that woman had been his mother and to him the name April was deeply personal. He hadn't even told Blink this, mainly because shortly after that men in black combat gear came, he saw his mother shot trying to get him out of there. Then he was taken to the Project. He didn't know her last name or even his real name for that matter.

The only thing he had left of his mother was just a name, a memory and a drawing of her he had done in his sketchbook. This girl was like a sister to him, a sister in arms sharing the same dark past and he couldn't think of anyone else he would want to carry that name.

She thought about it. "April...I like it."

"So what about a last name?" August asked them.

"I know!" Morph said. "Her powers are gravity based right? How about Newton?"

The others looked at him but April spoke up. "If it fits with my powers I guess I'll try it."

Guardian smiled. "Well that's nice to hear, but I think you need to get some rest right Doc?"

Doc nodded. "I believe so, you're still a little weak from the battle and you need to let your body and mind recover." Then he looked to the Exiles. "You can all visit her in the morning if you like but please let her get some rest."

The Exiles went off but Vincent lagged behind being the last to leave, he turned to see her again. "It's...good to have you here." He said and she actually smiled for the first time in her life and nodded. She got comfortable on her bed and it wasn't long until she was asleep and for the first time in years it was a pleasant sleep without nightmares.

* * *

**NEXT UP CHAPTER 14: HELLFIRE AND WOLFSBANE**

Please if you read please review any comments and/or suggestions are welcome


	14. Hellfire and Wolfsbane

**The New Exiles**

**By The Uncanny R-Man And Agent-G**

_Shout Outs-_

X-Over: I'm not sure about Ghost Rider but Rahne will show up, just not the Rahne you're used to. Yeah you'll see more of them soon enough too as well as something else.

TheLegendaryManHimself: Good memory yeah this is that chapter but with more things added.

Red Witch: Happy you still enjoy it and thanks for that other thing too.

Ruby 631: Well I guess it was a little obvious sorry about that. Oh yeah Rahne/Morph and a little something else thrown in.

Winblades: Hellfire as in Hellfire Club. The Dark Circle will have plans to make their own team. I think we can fit in the turtles at some time for you.

Red Witch: Happy that you still like this, you got any request or things you'd like to see?

Janusi: Actually yes one chapter will have that but later on, sorry about the grammer/spelling.

* * *

**Chapter 14: Hellfire and Wolfsbane **

**The Complex-**

Morph was bored. He was strolling through the corridors of the Complex in search of something to do. He would have asked his teammates to accompany him somewhere but they were all busy with their own things. Vincent and Blink were showing April around. Jono had his date with Erotica and Heather and August were out shopping again.

Morph soon found himself outside the teleporter room. He peeked his head around the corner. "Hello, anybody home?"

"Hello Morph." Guardian said as he looked up from the teleporter controls. "Is there anything that I could help you with?"

"Nothing much." Morph shrugged. "I'm just kinda at a loss for anything to do. I would ask the other guys to come do stuff with me but they're all out."

"You're fortunate that you came in such a time as this." Guardian said. "We have a visitor."

"Ooh, is she hot?" Morph asked with a grin. Guardian just shook his head and finished with the teleportation controls. Morph leant up against the wall and waited to see who Guardian was teleporting. There was a brief shimmer as a crimson-clad figure appeared.

"Say hello to Dare." Guardian said. "Again..."

"What are you doing here? Not that I'm complaining." Morph asked her. "I thought you had to deal with all those vampires?" Turning himself into a comical version of Dracula.

Dare shrugged. "Well I was doing fine and then this dark haired girl named Faith showed up and let's just say the vampire population is kind of near zero now. Plus I needed a break and I still got this thing." She held up some type of small communication device. "So I'd thought I'd stop by for a visit and see what I missed out on."

"As you remember I gave her that device a while ago in case she needed help or vice-versa." Guardian explained.

"You guys got anything to eat here?" Dare asked looking around the large mostly empty room. "Teleporting always gave me the munchies."

"I'll show you around." Morph said as he put his arm around Dare's waist. "Perhaps we could get to know each other a little better."

"Morph, let me ask you something. Have you seen Kill Bill?"

"Yes?" Morph asked suspiciously.

"Remember the five strike exploding palm?"

"Point well taken." Morph said as he removed his hand from Dare's waist.

**Later-**

Morph and Dare had finished their tour after a quick stop at the residential kitchen for a quick snack. Dare was telling Morph her history.

"My real name is Karen Natasha Murdock. I was named after two of my dad's closest friends. Apparently, if I was going to be a boy, he was going to call me Foggy. My mom didn't like that though. I was born on the Greek island of Corfu in my family's palatial estate. My parents as you know are Matt and Elektra Murdock. You most likely know them better as Daredevil and Elektra. My childhood was pretty normal. Well, if you call being disgustingly rich normal. We moved to New York when I was six and lived in another mansion in Queens. That's where I met my future friend May Parker. You might know her parents better as Spider-Man and Mary Jane Parker."

"The same Mary Jane Parker that was in that hospital show?" Morph asked.

"The one and the same." Dare replied.

"God I loved that show." Morph grinned. "I still watch all the ones we got stored in the media library."

"And I suppose the fact that there were lots of hot women in nurses uniforms didn't harm the appeal." Dare smirked.

"Am I really that shallow?" Morph replied with mock hurt. "Anyway, you were talking about your friend."

"We were inseparable." Dare continued. "We did everything together, hung out, went swimming, fought crime..."

"Right on." Morph interrupted. Dare carried on regardless.

"We stayed together through Junior High, then High School and on through college. We even shared an apartment together."

"So, any boyfriend's back home?" Morph asked hoping for a no to that question. "Just out of curiosity you understand."

"Not really my thing." Dare shrugged. "Guys, I mean."

"Girlfriends then." Morph continued, while wondering why it seemed he always got to spend time with the hot girls that weren't into guys, it was like the Mariko thing all over again, only without the lingerie part.

"Getting awfully personal, aren't we?" Dare asked, swiftly changing the subject. "I've done all this talking and you haven't even said anything about you. So, have you got a boyfriends back home?" She asked with a smile.

"Oh look, there's Guardian again." Morph said as he too swiftly changed the subject. "Hey Boss Man, is the teleporter spare? I thought I'd go try and find that reality where we visited the Playboy mansion."

"You actually went to the Playboy mansion?" Dare asked.

"Oh yes..." Morph replied as he started to reminisce...

**Several weeks previous-**

We now find Morph dancing the conga with a long line of scantily clad ladies. "This is the time of my life!" He grinned.

Later he was talking to a guy wearing a smoking jacket. "So let me get this straight...you got a blond bombshell of a girlfriend who's way younger then you are, who is fine with the fact you spend a lot of your time around scantily clad women and you and her girlfriends go out all the time too?"

"Pretty much, not to mention I get to see all the photo shoots and other things that go on here." The grey haired man said.

Morph got down on his hands and knees bowing. "I'm not worthy! I'm not worthy! You are my new god!" Morph had a lot of fun that day and in fact they others had to drag him off. While they dragged him off he tried to get back in fact his fingers left a few grooves in the ground. "Please let me stay! Just a little longer! Come on guys Miss October wanted to meet her and Miss November and December in the grotto for a private pool party! Do you know what the odds are of just one let alone three playmates in consecutive months wanting to _'meet'_ you?"

**Now-**

"Good times..." Morph sighed with a goofy smile on his face. "Anyway, the teleporter..."

"I have finished with it for now." Guardian replied. "And what ever you do with it Morph, please be careful, it isn't a toy and don't make a fool of yourself with him again I had to do a LOT of explaining to him about that."

"You have my honour as a gentleman and a lady." Morph replied as he gave Guardian a salute and walked off. "Aren't you coming, Dare?"

"I'm alright here, thanks." She replied.

"Suit yourself." Morph shrugged. "All the more scantily clad chicks for me." Guardian and Dare watched Morph as he walked off in the direction of the teleporter room.

"Are you sure that it's wise giving him free reign on such a powerful machine?" Dare asked when Morph was out of earshot.

"I don't know why." Guardian replied shrugging. "But I have faith in Morph."

The teleporter room- 

Morph walked into the teleporter room and nodded in greeting to the robots working there. They didn't respond, as they weren't programmed to do so. Morph walked on to the teleportation pad and waited to be sent to his destination.

"Destination... Reality sixty-nine-three-sixteen." Morph said. "Oh wait, that's six-one-nine! Wait, sto..."

Morph's words came too late as the robots did their stuff and teleported him away.

**Reality 69316-**

Rahne Sinclair, the Black Queen of the Hellfire Club was sitting idly on her throne. Reclined on the velvet cushions around her were her Black Rooks and Bishops, Danielle Moonstar, Doug Ramsey, Sam Guthrie and Illyana Rasputin. She was about to order them to dance when a figure fell form the ceiling.

"Aww, crap. Where am I now?" Morph groaned getting up off the floor. He hadn't had a rough landing like that since working for Timebroker.

"Morph?" Rahne asked in surprise as she got up off her throne and approached Morph. "Is it really you?"

Morph did a double take at the sight of Rahne Sinclair the Scottish werewolf mutant in a black leather bustier, knee-high high-heeled boots and panties. Her shoulder length red hair was in curls.

"Geez, Rahne! Wha... who... huh?" Morph stuttered staring at her and how her clothing or lack there of, clung to her body.

"Take a seat and I'll tell ye all aboot it." Rahne replied. The not-so innocent Scot werewolf snapped her fingers and Dani hurried over to bring Morph a chair.

"Uh, thanks... Dani." Morph said as he sat down not sure what was going on. Especially after seeing Dani and the other in black clothing. The women in black dresses and the men in tuxes.

"It all started after all that business with the Beyonder. Ye do remember that, don't ye?"

"Oh yeah." Morph replied. "He killed the New Mutants then brought them back to life." At least that what had happened in his world he still didn't like to think of that day.

"Then we joined the Hellfire Club f'r a short while." Rahne continued. "While the others left after a while, I stayed on. Well, long story short, I challenged Selene to a duel and won the place of Black Queen, end of story."

"B-but you seemed so meek back then." Morph said as he remembered the innocent little Catholic girl that he once knew. "What happened?"

"Ye didnae expect me tae stay like a wee girl forever, did ye?" Rahne replied with a grin.

"I suppose..." Morph said. It was just strange to see the young girl he knew and seeing the woman she was now.

"You must be hungry. 'Yana, fetch Morph something to eat, would you?"

"At once, your majesty." Illyana replied meekly and bowed out of the room.

"Well that's a different Illyana than the one I used to know." Morph said refereeing to their old Exile teammate. "She woulda cut off your head for asking such a thing."

"Well ye havtae make sure that yuir underlings dinnae give ye any trouble." Rahne replied as she crossed her legs languidly. Morph gulped nervously as he tried desperately not to ogle.

"So what have you been up to?" Rahne asked leaning forward and resting her chin on one of her hands. "It must be exciting."

"I-I dunno." Morph stuttered. "I have to get back to the others..."

"Oh pish." Rahne replied. "Sam, tell Sophie and the others tae prepare one of the guest suites, Morph will be staying for the night."

"Yes your majesty." Sam replied meekly.

"There's really no ne..."

"Stop right there, laddie." Rahne interrupted sternly. "Ye must be tired from all that teleportin', you go have a sleep an' I'll see ye later." Morph gulped nervously as Rahne got up off her throne and winked at him sexily. "If ye catch my meaning..."

**Exile Complex-**

April, now in new clothing thanks to the other girls and who now wore her long dark hair in a single braid, was looking around the place, it was so huge and she was glad that she had Vincent there, Blink was nice too but she had to wonder why she was hanging around Vincent a lot lately. Of course Blink was nice to her and stuff but they way those two seemed, they seemed really close and...well...it just made her a little annoyed for some reason.

Although she knew that this man wasn't the same version as the boy she knew he was still everything she remembered about him that she liked. She remembered how one time they were all in a holding cell after one of the more painful tests. They weren't allowed to talk but most of them still cried from the pain and fear they felt from it.

She remembered how they had been sitting there and she couldn't take the feeling of fire in her veins from one of the injections and started to cry, then she had felt an arm around her and she had tensed at first. Then saw is was Seven holding her. She could see the pain on his face but he was giving comfort to her and she head leaned in on him and cried while the pain was in her body.

Prodigy Seven had always seemed to look out for the other kids in someway and they felt a sense of union because of it. Now April felt that again with this version of him. They were both grown up and yet she still felt like a child wanting to be held again to make all the bad things go away.

She had been having nightmares and he had told her he still got them too. That everyone gets them from time to time. He had gone through the same hell as she had and was glad for his company.

The others were a strange lot too. Jono seemed to be the quiet one of the group August, who seemed to have this sadness was cheerful enough, Heather was almost like her only seemed more wise, Blink was truly a leader at times. She remembered watching one of the training sessions and how she commanded the team.

Morph was a bit of an odd one, although he did make her laugh at times and he was nice, she just wondered why he looked at her certain ways. Then lastly there was Guardian. He was truly a mystery to her and the others. He didn't talk about himself and he was like his wise wizard she had seen in this movie they watched. He reminded her of Gandolf only in black and not old. There was a lot about him that he didn't talk about and that was fine, he was a kind and caring person she could tell that much and it was enough for her and she did enjoy helping him out in the labs and stuff too.

She had also seen the body of Proudstar and was saddened to hear about what had happened to him. She hoped one day she would recover as well. "So what do you want to do now?" Vincent asked her.

She snapped out of her thoughts. "Oh...I would like to spend time in the garden if you don't mind...it's nice and peaceful there."

Vincent smiled and nodded his head. She smiled and linked her arm in his, and sighed a bit, he was like the closest thing she had to family. Blink saw how April was hanging off of Vincent and she didn't like it much.

She didn't know why, okay so they both had gone through the same crap and they shared a bond from that, she could get that, she felt she and Vincent had the same thing considering their own pasts. But for some reason April hovered around him a lot of the time and it was getting on her nerves a little.

Sure, she was still learning about life somewhat being controlled for most of her life and was a little naïve on certain things but she was a nice quiet woman...so why did she feel this...jealousy? No that couldn't be it? Blink pushed the thoughts aside and continued on with them.

**Later-**

Morph was in his room, a lavish looking room that should have been in a four star hotel, with expensive furniture all around and a king size bed. To say that he was panicking would be an understatement. "Omigod, Omigod! I'm lost in a strange reality and Wolfsbane's got the hots for me. Doctor MacTaggart would kick my ass if she knew."

Morph then started to pace the room nervously. He sat down on the bet and marvelled at the softness. He considered using the Recall Device but he couldn't remember what button did what in his state of mind, that and he got the feeling ticking this Rahne off wouldn't be good and given his luck it would be a safe bet he'd somehow be back here he just knew it. Mainly because it seemed the universe had it in for him.

"Mmm, comfy." He said as he squeezed the mattress on the bed, he figured he might as well calm down and try the bed. He then climbed on and started to test the weight. "Hmm, not too bad. I wonder how high I can bounce." He then started to jump up and down on the bed.

He was on to jump number eleven when there was a knock on the door. He gave out a yelp of surprise and fell off. He muttered a curse and got up to answer it. He gave out another yelp of surprise as he saw five identical blonde girls standing on the other side dressed in identical clothes as Rahne, but in white.

"We are here to make sure that you are settled in well." They said together in eerie monotone. "We are also here in case you need anything. And we mean, anything!"

He gave a strangled squeak and slammed the door in their faces and hid under the bed, he had met those girls once before where TJ was now living and they had freaked him out now just like the other ones did, even in their new clothing, he was also sure he would never be able to watch Children of the Damned ever again. There was another knock on the door.

"Go away, I don't need anything." Morph called from under the bed.

"Morph, it's me." Rahne replied. "Can I come in?"

"Umm... no?"

"I'm coming in anyway." Morph cursed to himself as Rahne walked into the room and locked the door behind her.

"How d'ye like yuir room?"

"It's certainly... comfy." Morph replied.

"I'm glad ye like it." Rahne said as she took a seat on the edge of the bed. "I had the best designers in America make it." There were then several minutes of awkward silence as they simply looked at each other. Rahne decided to break the silence first. "Why don't ye come sit next tae me?" She asked as she patted the space beside her invitingly.

"Yes ma'am." Morph squeaked as he sat beside her.

"I do find ye attractive, y'know." Rahne whispered huskily as she put her hand on his thigh. Morph let out another frightened squeak in response. "D'ye think I'm sexy?"

Morph cleared his thought as he tried to find his voice again "It's not that I don't find you attractive. As a matter of fact, an alarmingly sexy redhead dressed only in leather and lace is one of my all-time fantasies but..."

"I know ye like bad girls." Rahne continued as she crept closer. "And I'm one o' the baddest..." As if to illustrate her point, Rahne licked Morph's neck languidly.

"Uhh... What was I saying?" Morph squeaked. Rahne just grinned evilly and pushed Morph back on to the bed.

**The Exiles Complex-**

Vincent and Jono were walking through the corridors of the Complex when they saw Morph walk out of the teleporter room. His eyes had glazed over and he was walking like a zombie.

"What do you think happened to him?" Vincent asked.

"He either saw the Hulk naked again or he got laid." Jono replied.

"Do you really think he got laid?" Vincent asked although he also tried not to picture the Hulk naked, that was just too disturbing an image he wanted stuck in his head.

"Who? Morph? Naah, of course not!"

* * *

**TBC...**

**Next Chapter 15: Jason vs The Exiles**


	15. Jason Vs The Exiles

** THE NEW EXILES**

**By: The Uncanny R-Man & Agent-G**

_Shout outs:_

Winblades: Well I like to give it a few days before we put out the revised chapter.

Ruby 631: More of a fight for affection, April thinks of him like a brother and as for Blink, well you know.

Red Witch: Yes he is but that's one of his charms isn't it. I'll try and do that thanks.

TheLegendaryManHimself: Glad you liked those lines and it's not exactly a love triangle you'll see what I mean later on.

X-Over: Yeah that's him, not sure about the rest of those guys though.

* * *

**Chapter 15: The Exiles vs Jason**

**THE COMPLEX**

It had been a few days after the Morph's little escapade and things were getting a little calm. April was starting to fit in well and the girls had taken her out for karaoke one night too. Then one day Guardian called them the briefing room for a mission.

"So what's next boss man?" Morph said leaning back on his chair. "Are we going to slay any dragons, or something?"

"No not today." He walked over to the control panel. An image of a pair of teenagers appeared. They were a boy and girl of about eighteen and dressed in clothing of the mid 90's. The boy and girl were about average looking. The boy with short brown hair and the girl was a redhead who had her hair in a ponytail. "This is Eric and Susan a young couple that will one day change the world. Eric here will be able to create a clean energy source and his girlfriend who will later become his wife will discover a cure of cancer...that is if they live."

"I take it you want us to save them?" Blink said to him.

Guardian nodded. "You see they decided to go on a camping trip for the summer...unfortunately they chose the wrong place to take it." He input a few new commands and a map of a forested area and campgrounds showed up. Then a name came up at the bottom.

Vincent groaned. "Oh man...not there...anyplace but there."

Heather looked at the name but didn't get it. "What's wrong with Crystal Lake?"

"Jason Voorhees." Morph said plainly. "Basically one of the big bads of the horror movie genre."

Guardian used the controls and someone in a blue jumpsuit with a machete in an old hockey mask. There was something sinister and fearsome about the image. "This was once a young disfigured boy named Jason, he drowned when two camp counselors were...ah...well...doing something else then watching the kids swim." Guardian explained.

"Doing what exactly?" August asked.

"Oh they were getting it on." Morph said with a grin.

"I'm sorry I asked."

"Yes...well then his mother went nuts and started killing counselors." Guardian continued to explain. "Then the last survivor killed the mother and then her son rose from the dead. He's now something we would call a Specter. Someone who has died yet returned to the living in a body. Unfortunately he's not actually alive and thus kind of hard to kill. So far he's gone on a killing rampage for years and has killed hundreds of people so far."

"Let me guess...those two are next on his list?" Blink asked him.

"There's a 90 chance that they'll run into him and they won't stand a chance." Guardian explained to them all. "These two are important for that world's future but because of the large area you'll have to split up and search for them and keep them safe until they get out of the area."

He dug into his ever-present travel pouch and pulled out several watches. "From now I would like all of you to wear these, I figure they might come in handy from now on." He passed them out. "These watches are heavily modified with tracking devices so you can find one another and communicators, Blink yours still has the holographic function, it's that extra blue button on the side."

"Sweet!" Morph said putting on the watch. "We finally get the good stuff!"

"Would April or Dare be joining us?" Blink asked Guardian as she put on the watch.

He shook his head. "Sorry no. I have to go somewhere and they will be accompanying me there. Any more questions?" He asked as he saw there was none then nodded his head. "Well then good luck to you all."

**CRYSTAL LAKE**

The Exiles appeared in a wooded area in what looked like the middle of nowhere, it was night out and a cool breeze, and it was also eerily quiet, with very little animal noises that you'd expect to hear. "Let's get this thing over with and FAST." Vincent said clearly uneasy about all of this.

"Man you REALLY don't like horror movies do you?" Morph said looking a little like Freddy and taking a little perverse pleasure in seeing the normally cool and control Canadian nervous and a little jumpy.

"We're at Crystal freaking Lake, wouldn't YOU be a little freaked?" He said losing his temper a little.

"Whoa easy there mate." Jono said trying to prevent something unpleasant, most likely Vince clocking Morph one in the face.

"What are you worried about?" August asked him. "You're invulnerable, it's not like Jason could harm you even if he tried."

He sighed. "Yeah I know...I'm just a little jumpy, I mean the first time I saw a Friday the 13th movie I had nightmares for a week."

"Well let's split up, we should find these kids a little more easily." Blink said taking out the PADD, she looked up their position. "According to this there are campgrounds that way." She pointed in one direction. "A house that way with a barn over there." She pointed somewhere else. "And finally a log cabin over there." She pointed one last time. "They should be somewhere near one of those places."

"So I guess that means teams of two right?" Heather said and Blink nodded.

"Yeah so Morph you and Heather take the camp grounds. Jono, you and August try the house and me and Vince will take the cabin." She said to them.

There were a few smirks at the last team. "Just remember not to make out, I mean that turns people into machete magnets." Jono said grinning, especially the slight blush that was on Blink's and Vincent's face.

"Look." Blink said sternly going back into leader mode. "I just figured having each couple with at least one person with super strength would even the odds if we run into that psycho."

"Giving our luck luv, I'd say it was _when_ we run into that bloke." Chamber said to her and then all the Exiles split up in different directions.

After several minutes of traveling on foot Morph was getting a bit bored, he was sure they wouldn't run into Jason since he only showed up at certain moments and since he wasn't likely to start making out with Heather, or going skinny dipping in the lake anytime soon he figured they were safe. He was bored and started to whistle the 'hi-ho' song that the seven dwarfs sang in Snow White but Heather covered his mouth with her hand.

"Are you nuts?" She hissed at him. "We're in the woods of a psychotic unstoppable serial killer, and you want to whistle and tell the whole woods where we are?"

Morph shrugged as she removed his mouth. "Oh come on, he only shows up to kill people who are alone, having sex, making out, having showers or skinny dipping so we're safe." Then he noticed the glare she was giving him and he gulped. "Right...no whistling."

After they started he spoke up again. "How about some humming?"

"Morph!"

"Alright! Sheesh!"

Little did they know they were being watched in the distance in the shadows by a tall and sinister figure that soon disappeared back into the forest.

**AT THE CABIN**

The two teens in question were opening the door and walking in. "So this is your uncle's place huh?" The girl Susan asked the other boy and he dragged in two backpacks with their stuff in it.

"Oh yeah, he doesn't come up here anymore so I figured this would be the perfect place." Eric told her. He smiled at seeing her look around, they had been going out for over two years now and even though he never told a soul he knew she was the one for him.

He loved everything about her and she was just so incredible, plus she was about as smart as he was and he never could be with anyone dumber then him. They were both straight A students and they were trying to get into the same university so they could still be together. They were even thinking of sharing an apartment together.

Although their parents didn't like the idea there wasn't much they would say to change their minds them.

"So...we're all alone here?" She asked giving him a look over her shoulder. He could see a twinkle in her eye and he grinned and nodded to her, as he knew that look. She walked up to him and pulled him into an embrace and kissed him.

"And what exactly are we going to do here that would require such solitude?" She asked with a grin.

"What do you think?" He told her.

She smiled at him. "So...which way to the bed room?" She whispered to him seductively.

**CAMP GROUNDS**

Sitting around a fire were a bunch of boy scouts with their troop leader finishing the story of Jason. "I-Is any of th-that true?" A boy asked.

"Of course not, it's just a legend." The Troop Leader told them. "I mean who heard of a hockey masked killer running around the forest?"

"Then what about all those stories of people getting killed up here?" Another boy asked. "My dad says a lot of people have died up here."

"That's just been blown out of proportion." The man said to them. "I mean if it was true why wouldn't the town close down the lake area?"

"Because of the tourists that come up here every summer." Yet another boy said. "If they did then no tourists would be here and no money... at least that's what my daddy says."

"Now look here-"The man said but a rustling in the bushes causes him to turn around. "Who's there?"

Out popped out a man in a jumpsuit and hockey mask carrying a machete.

"It's Jason!" One kid screamed and all the kids ran into the camp building for safety as the man looked on with horror.

"Ah crap." He whimpered, then fainted but not before wetting himself.

Then 'Jason' started laughing and turned into Morph. "Oh man that was classic!" He said clutching his sides.

Then he got a slap to the back of his head from Heather. "Quit fooling around! You do realize you most likely scarred those kids for life with that stupid stunt!" She said angrily.

"Oh come on, it was too good to pass up!" Heather just glared at him and grabbed him by the collar of his uniform and dragged him off.

She let go to activate her watch. "Guys we're at the Camp grounds but I don't think they're here. We're going to swing by Jono and August on the way to the cabin and meet up with Blink and Vince."

"Alright." Blink came back. "We'll all either meet up at the cabin or at the house if they're over there."

Then Heather grabbed Morph again and dragged him on. "Come on you, and you better not try that trick on me or I swear I'll change my form and then give you something to be afraid of!"

**DIMENSION M-8476-12**

Guardian, along with Dare in her red uniform and April in a single one piece black Kevlar body suit, which looked a bit like her old one only with a different design and no number on the front, appeared in what looked like a giant crater. "Whoa...what happened here?" Dare asked looking around the wasteland surrounding the giant crater they were looking at.

"This is where Galactus was killed and when Thunderbird was lost." Guardian explained. "I figured that by being here I could make contact with his spirit or try to find out what happened." His eyes took on a blue glow and he shivered as he felt himself 'shift' a bit into the spectral plane, it was another plane of existence that usually was filled with spirits. He could still see a few of the souls of the fallen heroes trapped here but Thunderbird wasn't there. His shifted back into the material plane fully and looked at the two women.

"I'll be spirit walking to try and find some answers you girls will need to look after my body for me since I'm vulnerable when I do this."

Dare nodded. "Sure thing, we'll take care of anything that comes out here."

On a ridge a shadowy figure watched. It had been sent here months ago to watch over this place when Guardian took the body and it waited for his return. It wasn't so much alive as not dead, and it was merely a living shadow with no real form, it hated this place it was too bright and his kind hated the light so it lived in the shadows, but his masters had sent it and so it would wait. Now with the prey here it was time to call on the shadow assassins.

**OLD HOUSE**

August and Jono looked around the house but it seemed empty and deserted. "Well I'm going to check the barn." August told him. "You see if maybe they're inside the house."

"Uh...do you think it's wise to split up?" Jono asked slightly nervous. He had seen enough horror movies to know that when people split up and they're alone that's usually when they die a very nasty death.

"Scared?" August teased him.

"Hell no, I'm uh...just worried about you luv." He said trying to cover up his lie.

She smiled at him. "I think I can handle the big bad man." She told him and created a fireball for effect.

"Well...alright then." Chamber said and slowly turned to the house and walked in as August went to the barn. August looked in and saw the darkness but not much else. She created a fireball for some light then noticed that near the door was a light switch. She figured using the lights was safer so she didn't accidentally set the barn on fire.

She looked around. "Lets see...farming tools...hay...farm equipment...more hay...ladder...even more hay, man where do they get all of this at a lake?" She heard someone walking behind her. "What's a matter Jono got scared?" She asked but there was no replay. "Jono are you okay?" She turned around to be face to face with Jason. She did what anyone had done when they faced him...she screamed.

Jono however was looking through the house. He tried the lights but the power seemed to be cut off. 'Not a good sign mate.' He thought. They usually cut the power right before it was slaughtering time for the movie killers. He checked the rooms and opened a door to a bedroom. At least he was sure it was since there was a bed but it what was on the bed that disturbed him.

On it were a young couple, but in the darkness he saw they weren't moving...he also saw dark stains on the sheets and the smell of blood was strong in the air. He knew that the two were dead and he didn't want to get closer to see how but he had to see if it was the two kids. He moved closer covering his mouth in hopes of not throwing up and looked at the faces.

The faces were frozen in a moment that was a cross between horror and pain but it wasn't them. Then he heard August scream. "Bloody Hell!" He shouted and ran to the barn when he got there he saw Heather smiling as August was bounding on Morph.

"Frighten me like that will you!" August was shouting.

"Uh...Heather what's going on?" Jono asked the dark skinned woman as he walked up beside her.

"Morph here has been scaring everyone he comes across by turning into a copy of Jason." Heather said looking amused as Morph pleaded for mercy.

"Oh...carry on then, but we better get out of here...I found two bodies in the house looks like 'Gretzky' was already here so he might be on the way to Blink and Vince." Jono told them. Heather gasped and August stopped pounding on Morph as she heard that.

"We better get going then." August said seriously.

**DIMENSION M-8476-12**

Guardian was sitting Indian style on the ground the last time he had been here it was only a quick glance around the place before he had to leave, he hadn't sense the essence he had been looking for and now was the time to go a little deeper. He prepared himself and as he entered the spirit world and as his spirit left his body slumped a little. Dare and April looked at the body a little and then at each other. "Is it just me or does this whole leaving the body to look for spirits thing a little freaky?"

Dare shrugged. "Kind of, yeah. But then again my mom was killed and then brought back to life so this isn't exactly virgin territory for me." April blinked a few times at that remark, even though her new life was much better then her old one it was still a lot more complicated and strange.

Guardian was in spirit form now and looked over the wondering souls that refused to die, normally he would help them move on but he felt an urgent need to find what he was looking for. The world had a strange greenish blue tint to it and it was slightly warped too. There was no heat or cold, no sounds; it was as quiet as death itself. He looked around and concentrated, he felt the last moments of the great battle and saw it unfold in his mind's eye.

Outside the body Dare and April were waiting for him to finish. That's when a portal opened up and shadow assassins jumped out, only these were slightly different then the ones that Jono faced at the clock tower. These had no red eyes in fact they had no eyes. Dare saw this and figured that these ones wouldn't be so easy as the ones she heard Chamber had fought. She pulled out her Billy club and got into a fighting stance.

April even though she didn't like to fight anymore was ready to defend her friends and with all the training and powers she wasn't going to make this easy for them.

**NEAR THE CABIN**

Vincent was walking behind Blink as they made their way to the cabin. August had already told them about what they had found and were meeting up with them.

"I really don't like this mission." Vincent muttered to himself.

"It could be worse." Blink told him.

"Yeah I guess." He sighed. "We could be up against Freddy and I think he could hurt me if I was asleep...good thing I can go three days without sleeping."

Blink stopped for a second to look at him in the moonlight. "You can do that?"

Vince shrugged. "Yeah with all this energy that my body stores I can keep awake that long, four days if I don't use my powers but at the end of the fourth I found out I crash down and sleep for an entire day after that." He chuckled at the memory one moment he was up and the next he woke up the next day, he ran a hand through his long black hair, everyone had freaked when he just collapsed like that and boy was he swore when he woke up too. That was when he was dating, Jennifer Pearson the second person that he ever loved. She had white skin and a unique tattoo on the left side of her face. She came up from the States and got trapped in Canada when all hell broke loose. When he woke up she made sure he never pushed himself that far again.

"Huh...I didn't know that." Blink said then started off again but she failed to see a root in the ground and stumbled back but Vince reacted quickly and caught her. She felt him catch her and the feel of his body against hers cause her to blush a little and was thankful for the darkness of the night so it didn't show. "Thanks." She said as he put her back on her feet.

"No problem." He said and even in the dark she knew he was smiling at her. They moved on and saw that the cabin was a two story one near the lake and it had lights on.

"Well looks like someone is home." She said seeing the lights.

Vince went over to a truck and placed his hand on the hood. "Whoever it is they've been here for awhile at least, the engine is cold."

"Let's just hope these are our targets and that they're still alive." She muttered to herself and opened the front door. "Good thing we're in the middle of nowhere and they didn't need to lock the door." She said to him as she opened it.

"Given who we might run into that might not have been a good idea." Vince said to her as he looked around. Blink thought he made a good point but then again in the horror movies the bad guys always found a way inside. They split up and started to search the place. She heard something from upstairs and went to look she stopped at a door and heard some laughter behind it.

She opened the door and saw the two young adults that they were supposed to protect on a bead still fully clothed but looked like they wouldn't have been for much longer.

"What the hell?" The guy shouted seeing her.

"Who-what are you?" The girl asked and Blink suddenly realized she was in her normal form and had forgotten to change. She swore at the oversight but that couldn't be helped. "Look I was sent here to make sure you two survived past tonight." She told them sternly.

"What do you mean by that?" Eric asked her getting ready to defend themselves if necessary.

"Did you have any idea that this place has had over a hundred people killed on it by some undead psycho named Jason?"

Both teens looked at each other. "I thought that was just an urban myth?" Eric said to her.

Susan looked at him in astonishment. "You knew about something like that and didn't tell me?" She nearly screamed at him.

"It's just a story." He said defensively.

"No...it's not." Blink told them crossing her arms. "In fact you two were on his list for tonight and my team already found two fresh kills. A couple was killed not far from here."

They heard the door suddenly open. "Blink you here?" August's voice called out.

Blink turned to the two of them. "That would be them, come on if you want to live past tonight you better come with us, or you can take your chances with the maniac out in the woods." The two teens looked at each other and decided not to argue.

They found most of the other Exiles in a living room type of place. "Where's Morph?" Blink asked everyone.

"I think he's checking out the kitchen." Jono said. Suddenly the door opened and there stood Jason with a machete in hand. Blink got out a few of her metallic javelins ready for a fight. "Morph! Knock it off, that's not funny anymore!" Jono shouted at him annoyed.

"Knock what off?" Morph said coming from the kitchen. Everyone was silent as they looked at him then to Jason, back to Morph then back to Jason. There were a few screams and then things started up. The two teens got behind Heather and Chamber as the other Exiles gathered together. Heather wanted to change but the roof wasn't large enough and she might cause the place to collapse.

Vince came into the room in a blur of speed and stopped. "What's going on?" He asked not aware of who was behind him.

"Vince, behind you buddy!" Morph yelled and Vince turned just in time for the machete to come on down on his head. But the blade shattered against his head not even leaving a mark. Jason looked at his blade in confusion, as this had never happened before.

Vince now faced the thing that had once given him nightmares as a kid and it wasn't until a few seconds until he snapped out of it and realized what had just happened. Jason tried to stab Vince but the broken blade only cut up his shirt and brown leather jacket he had with him from his world. "Hey! That's my favorite jacket you jerk!" Then he punched Jason right through the log cabin to the outside. Now Vincent was pissed off. He walked up to Jason as the Exiles looked on.

"Oh...that guy is going to get a giant Canadian ass kicking now." Morph said grinning running to the door to watch the fight.

Jason staggered back up and punched Vincent but to no effect. "That's not going to work on me." He said coldly. Jason tried again. "You don't listen too well do you?" He tried for a third but Vince caught this one and crushed the hand in his. "That's for all the nightmares you gave me as a kid." He growled out.

If Jason could have screamed in pain he would have, Vince turned to the others. "Find me some stuff to place this guy in, I want to make sure he's not around for a long, long time."

As Vince continued to pummel Jason into the ground the others came back with a few things. Heather found an old oil drum that was being used to collect rainwater that still had the top part to it and August found some chains.

"Perfect." Vince said. "August help me chain him up."

"Gladly." August said and they chained him up and with their strength twisted the chains together to keep them from being lose then they stuffed Jason into the oil drum and put the lid on. They crushed the lid on so it wouldn't come off and then Vince poked a few holes in it.

He and August grabbed both ends and they both threw the drum into the air and over the lake. It landed with a slash and quickly started to sink to the bottom of the lake. "And that's for the jacket." Vincent said glaring at the bubbles coming to the surface.

"Well...that should hold him for awhile." Morph said out loud.

**DIMENSION M-8476-12**

Dare and April had been fighting for ten minutes and they were getting tired. April was trying her best by keeping them pinned to the ground but the effort of that and keeping herself and the others defended were tiring her out. Dare was doing her best but her blows only seemed to annoy them and they still haven't found any weaknesses in these ones.

"We really could use his help right about now." Dare shouted while dodging a blow then counter attacking with a kick.

"No kidding." April said flipping over one of them and landing between them and Guardian's body.

Guardian for his part had found no trace of spiritual energy, he was going to look deeper maybe even ask Death herself for answers, which was a dangerous thing to do even for him, when he suddenly felt something was wrong in the material plane.

Dare and April were breathing hard and sweating. They also had a few bruises and were hurting a bit. "How are you holding up green eyes?" Dare asked her friend.

"I'll...I'll be fine after these things...are defeated." She said through heavy breaths. So far the shadow assassins were all closing in on them going to take them out in order to finish their business uninterrupted. Then a blinding light erupted with words of power being shouted out and the assassins became brittle and shattered and fell into piles of dust. Both women looked to see Guardian slowly stand on his feet, the effort of quickly returning to his body and that spell left him very weak.

"Nice timing." Dare said with a grin.

"Did you find him?" April asked hopefully. Guardian looked grim and shook his head.

"Let's go home." He said to them, he knew others would come and they couldn't stay; besides there wasn't anything more he could do here.

**COMPLEX - LATER**

Alfred the green transparent holographic AI was giving Guardian a report on the Exiles mission. "Everything seems to have gone well, they not only saved the two but managed to encased Jason in such a way that he might never get out, if not for a very long time at least."

Guardian was in an office like room only that the furnishings were more stylized and futuristic for the most part. Guardian himself was behind a glass like desk with a data computer on one end and a few PADDs scattered across the desk.

"Well that's a bonus." Guardian said pleased. "I hope he stays like that for a long time." He sighed to himself he was feeling down for not gaining any results with his own little mission and he was running out of options, there was one that might work but he wasn't sure he wanted that woman to go through it, she already lost so much and it might be cruel to ask her...but he was running out of choices.

"Will that be all sir?" Alfred asked after a moment of silence.

"Yes." Guardian said and Alfred disappeared. He got up from the behind the desk and walked over to a wood cabinet and pulled out a bottle of brandy and a shot glass. He put them back on the desk and suddenly stopped and a small smile was on his face. "You're lucky you're a friend of mine or the security would have gone off by now." He said amused as he sensed the new arrival.

He turned to see a humanoid looking person with light blue skin, solid black eyes and long spiked white hair that was combed to the back. He wore a jump suit of brown and green and was leaning against the wall with an amused look on his face. "Still got it I see."

"I'm still only four thousand years old...still young by Guardian standards." Guardian told him. "So Raz...business or pleasure?"

Raz sighed. "Business unfortunately...they need your help Adam."

"They who?" The Guardian known as Adam ask him, his mood darkening as he guessed who he was refereeing too.

"You know who...the Confederation." Raz said. He knew that Adam had issues to say the least with them but they had asked Raz to seek him out.

"No." Adam said plainly turning away from him.

"Come on!" Raz said getting off the wall. "I know you turned your back on them but they need you for one more mission."

"I turned my back on them?" Adam said angrily now looking back at the other Guardian. "They turned their backs on me first damn it! I gave them over a thousand years of service and what did they do when I needed something? NOTHING! So to hell with them!"

"If this is about Angela and Marcus then-"

"It's not just about them!" Adam told him now losing his tamper and his fist slammed onto the glass of his desk cracking it. "The Confederation I was told, was created by the Guardians to help the multi-verse, and in the beginning they did and now look at it! It's nothing more then a bunch of diplomatic fat cats worrying more about themselves instead of others! Damn it, even the Guardians that still serve in the Confederation like I used to be, have been reduced to being their errand boys."

"It not all like that." Raz told him.

"Please! You're a Guardian Raz you know better, hell you're older then I am, why can't you see it?"

"It's not that simple...without us the Confederation will fall one day and we put too much into it, and too many of us have bled and died for it to fall." Raz told him seriously.

"Then I say _let_ it die." Adam said to him harshly.

"You don't mean that." Raz said flatly yet some part of him knew he did.

"Yes I do...besides I'm in exile from the Confederation right? I can't go back to anywhere where they hold power, but I guess if I go on this 'mission' they'll drop that and welcome back one of it's golden boys am I right?" Raz didn't say anything but that was enough for Adam. "Yeah...just as I thought. Tell them no deal, I swore I wouldn't return to them not now...not ever."

Adam turned away from him and Raz tried to say something anything to get him back. "But you're the only one the Glith'or trust and respect, they won't talk to anyone else."

"Too bad." Adam said coldly. "Now I suggest you leave now...and Raz...don't ever come back here if it's Confederation business...or I may forget we're friends." Raz knew he had lost him and disappeared in a flash of light.

Adam poured himself a drink and immediately downed it all and went to refill it when he stopped. He looked at the bottle and in the reflection of the bottle he saw himself and it reminded him of a time after he had turned away from the Confederation. He had been in so much pain he tried to take the pain away by looking in the bottom of a bottle. When it didn't work he tried another then another and he had spent over two years trying to look for the end of his pain in the bottom of every bottle of liquor he could find.

He threw the bottle of brandy against the fall. "No...I won't go down that path ever again...I don't want to become that again." He silently said to himself.

Alfred appeared then. "Shall I call a cleaning unit?"

"Yes." Adam said and walked out the room, he'd go to one of the training simulators on privacy mood for a few hours. Maybe some simulated combat would make him feel better.

**TBC...

* * *

**

**NEXT UP THE EXILES VISIT THE STAR WARS UNIVERSE**


	16. I Bent My Wookie

**The New Exiles**

**By The Uncanny R-Man And Agent-G**

_Shout Outs-_

Winblades: Hey by all means the more readers the better, actually that's kind of a cool idea, I may use that, thanks.

Janusi: Yeah I love running gags, this is more of a fun chapter than a mission chapter so enjoy. (Also it helps if you've read the Star Wars books)

Ruby631: Yeah I've been wondering about why you haven't updated yet. I was just generalizing about that I wasn't sure if all types could be cured or not.

Fire inu: Yep, the next chapter was the one we were working on before the re-did this.

X-Over: After the movies but before the Vong invaded.

* * *

**Chapter 16: I Bent My Wookiee **

**The Complex-**

It had been a week since the Exiles' adventure at Crystal Lake and they decided to spend their time until their next mission hanging out in the Complex. They were presently sitting in the rec room discussing what movies to watch.

"Hey, Vince." Heather said. "Have you ever seen the Phantom Menace?"

"The Phantom what?" He cocked an eyebrow at the title.

"The Phantom Menace." Heather repeated. "Star Wars: Episode One."

"I didn't even know that there was an episode one, just episodes four to six, you mean they actually got around to doing the first one?" He said surprised at that, he had always wondered what the first three movies were like.

"Well perhaps we should watch it then, you might want to catch up." Morph added. "See how crappy it is for yourself."

"How could Star Wars possibly be crappy?" Vincent snorted. "They're one of the best films ever released."

"You've never had the dubious joy of watchin' Jar Jar Binks in action, have you?" August smirked.

"Jar Jar who?" Vince asked at the idiot name.

"Just watch and learn, buddy." Morph said as he found it and popped the data crystal into the player and everybody settled down to watch the movie.

**Over two hours later-**

The other Exiles looked at Vince to gauge his reaction to the movie. They couldn't yet see whether the Canadian samurai liked it as he just stared blankly at the screen. "Well, did you like it?" Blink asked.

"Yeah, come on man." Jono added. "Tell us, the tension's killing us."

A slight frown started to form on Vincent's face. "What the hell was George Lucas thinking?" Vincent hissed. "What the hell was up with that gay fish guy?"

"Jar Jar Binks?" Morph asked.

"Whatever the Hell his name was." Vincent replied. "Why the Hell was he in the movie?" He looked to the others for help.

"I think he was supposed to be comic relief, or something." August shrugged. "It didn't exactly work out."

"Tell me about it." Dare said with her arms crossed. "My dad hated him and he's blind!"

"He was lucky then, at least he didn't see how crappy he looked." Vince snorted bitterly and Dare nodded her head. "That has to be the worst attempt at humour I have ever seen. What ever happened to a guy in a monkey suit? That never harmed Chewbacca's appeal."

"I see what you're saying Vincent." Blink said as she put a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to calm him down. "We both agree with you, Jar Jar Binks is the worst thing about the film and he be strung up and shot but you have to let it go."

"I'm sure that Guardian will let us visit the Star Wars galaxy." August added. "Maybe we can see just how annoying Jar Jar Binks is for ourselves."

"Just don't blame me if I _accidentally _fry him with an energy blast." Vince replied.

"Take a number mate and get in line, we all want to fry his arse." Jono added with a grin on his face at the mental image of that.

**Reality 69316-**

Morph was back in the reality where Rahne Sinclair was the Black Queen of the Hellfire Club. This time he was there of his own free will. He was in Rahne's private chambers waiting for her to get dressed. "Well the other Exiles and I were planning on taking a trip and I was wondering whether you wanted to come along."

"And where exactly are ye going?" Rahne asked from behind an ornate-looking screen.

"We thought we'd go visit the Star Wars galaxy." Morph replied.

"No way!" Rahne gasped as she poked her head around the screen. "Really? Can ye actually go to the Star Wars galaxy?"

"We can travel to pretty much any galaxy. Heck, last week we travelled to a reality where we had to fight Jason Vorhees."

"Perhaps I'd better get some appropriate clothing on." Rahne said as she hung up her usual black leather bodice. "What d'ye think?" Morph watched as Rahne stepped out dressed in a skimpy golden bikini. Yup, she was dressed up in Princess Leia's slave costume. Morph squeaked in surprise.

"You actually have a Princess Leia slave bikini?" He gasped his eyes nearly bulging out of his head.

"Ye'd be surprised at some of the things I have in me cupboard." Rahne replied sexily. "Perhaps ye'd like tae help me give it a test run?" She purred as she crept closer. Morph just giggled like a loon as Rahne pushed him back onto the bed.

The teleporter room- 

The other Exiles were waiting for Morph to bring his date. April and Dare were going along too as this trip wasn't a mission as such, it was more like a diplomatic mission. Guardian was going with them also as he had previous experience with the Star Wars galaxy, something about evacuating Alderaan before the Death Star destroyed it. The Exiles were dressed in suitable attire, tunics, robes, cloaks and what have you. Vince also had his sword with him to add to his image. The Canadian samurai pulled Blink to one side. "Blink, can I talk to you for a sec, please?"

"Sure, Vince." Blink replied. "What can I help you with?"

Vince cleared his throat nervously before continuing. He had thought about doing this for quite some time but he never got the courage to ask before now. He hadn't had many success with women and the few he did...well considering how his world had been he had lost them to the sentinels and until now wasn't ready to try again.

"Well, seeing that Morph is bringing a date, I was wondering whether you, y'know, wanted to be my date, you know...as a friend? I'm...not too good with large crowds of strangers." A small smile spread on Blink's face. She had to admit she was a bit surprised but she liked the idea. Ever since Mimic had left her and the team, she felt a void in her life. But over the few months she had found that Vincent seemed to make the pain of his absence ease off more and more.

"I'd be glad to be your date." She replied as she squeezed his hand gently. With that, they went back to join the others just in time to see someone materialize in the teleporter. The figure was dressed head to toe in black, a black cloak and a black breathing mask. It was Darth Vader!

"August, I am your father!" _'Vader' _boomed.

"Stop screwing around Morph." August sighed as she rolled her eyes. _'Vader's' _shoulders slumped as he turned back into Morph.

"Spoil my fun." He pouted.

"So, where's this girlfriend of yours?" Heather teased. "Don't tell me you made her up."

"She's just taking care of some business." Morph replied, he had told them he had met a girl while travelling into another reality but he had kept tight-lipped about it, he wanted this to be a surprise. "She didn't want to leave the Hellfire Club without any clear leadership."

"Your girlfriend is Emma Frost?" Jono gasped. "Bloody hell!" The Emma he knew would never look at Morph twice so he could only imagine what this was one like.

"As _much_ as I'd like to be having red-hot kinky sex with Frosty, that's not who I mean, she's the Black Queen." Morph replied.

"She's **WHAT?**" August hissed angrily, getting ready to throttle Morph. "Your girlfriend is the Black Queen?"

"Whoa there!" Morph said as he put up his hands in defence, nearly sweating buckets at August's outburst. "I'm not dating Selene; I do have some standards you know. No, you guys may know her as Wolfsbane."

"Rahne Sinclair is the Black Queen?" Jono asked. Not believing his ears. "The same Rahne Sinclair that wouldn't say boo to a goose? The timid Catholic schoolgirl Rahne?"

"The one and the same." Morph replied with a smug grin.

"And you really had sex with her that time we saw you walking down the corridor?" The British man asked him remembering that day.

"Yup." Morph replied as he admired his nails. "Is it so hard to believe that she likes such a handsome guy as me?"

"It's just a tad unusual." Vince said. "You're seriously dating this girl?"

"Well I wouldn't say dating." Morph replied with a shrug. "We spend most of the time in her chambers, y'know, doing it..."

"Doing what?" April asked a bit confused. Since she had spent her whole life without any outside contact or to get to know the world she was still a bit innocent in certain areas.

"I'll tell you when you're older." Dare replied with a smirk patting her shoulder and smiling at her. She had to admit that even though she liked spending time with April she could be so naïve at time, but she found that kind of sweet on her...and the fact she was an ass-kicking mutant with gravimetric powers was well hidden by those green doe like eyes too.

**The New Republic Senate-**

The Exiles found themselves in a stark white room with banks of computers across the walls. Standing in front of them was a young woman with long brown braided hair wearing a flowing white gown. Standing next to her was a slightly older man with short brown hair. Next to him was a very tall bear-type creature. Next was a blonde guy dressed all in black, and to his side was a stunning redhead with intense green eyes. Last but by no means least were two robots, one was a tall, golden and humanoid while the other was short, stout and looked kind of like a blue and white garbage can. There were also several dignitaries from various alien worlds.

Guardian stepped forward and bowed in greeting. "Greetings from Haven, Your Majesty." He said. "It's wonderful to meet you again."

"It's wonderful to meet you again, Guardian." Princess Leia replied, bowing in reply. "My people will be forever in your debt."

"I would like to meet the Exiles." Guardian said as he indicated our heroes. "This is Clarice Ferguson, Vincent Freeman, Jonothon Starsmore, Morph, Heather Hudson, April Newton, Karen Murdock and Rahne Sinclair."

The Exiles stepped forward and gave their respective greetings. "This is my husband, Han, my brother Luke, his wife Mara, Chewbacca and our droids C-3PO and R2-D2."

August pulled Jono to one side and whispered in his ear. "Oh my God! I can't believe we're actually here in the Star Wars Universe!"

"I know how you feel, luv." Jono replied just as excited, this was something he used to dream of as a kid, although he never told anyone that, he did have a reputation to keep. "We're actually gonna meet Han Solo!"

"I think you're forgetting Luke Skywalker as well." Dare added. "I always thought he was cool, for a guy I mean."

"Han's way better." Jono replied. "When you're a kid you always think that Luke's the best but when you grow up, you realise just how cool Han Solo is, he's got the Millennium Falcon for God's sake!"

After everybody had been introduced, the welcoming committee started to file out of the room. "If you will follow Threepio, he'll lead you to the banquet hall where we have a celebratory feast set out for you." The Princess said.

"Thanks very much, Your Highness." Guardian nodded.

**The banquet hall-**

The Exiles followed Threepio into the banquet hall and marvelled at the sheer size of it. There were several impossibly huge crystal chandeliers and many huge tapestries adorning the walls. One of the walls most completely made of glass and gave the occupants a view of the city below them. "Wow, get a load of that view." August said.

"It's a good thing none of us are scared of heights, huh?" Vince replied. Threepio showed them to their seats and they all sat down around a huge round table. After several minutes, Princess Leia and the others appeared. "I must say, Your Highness, I love your décor."

"There's really no need to be so formal." Leia replied. "Please, we're all friends here, call me Leia."

Jono looked at the young girl sitting beside him. He didn't like the way she was looking at him. "Hi, I don't think we've met." She said. "I'm Jaina Solo."

Chamber raised an eyebrow. "Solo? As in Han Solo?"

"Yeah, that's my dad. My mom Leia and him are my parents." She told him. This surprised Jono. Sure, he thought Han and Leia were going to end up together it was just weird to actually see their kid.

"Jaina! Stop hitting on the guests." The guy sitting next to her hissed, who looked a lot like her, and might have been her twin brother.

"Oh give it a rest, Jacen. Look, Zekk and I broke up months ago and I just want to start dating again. Besides even if you're my twin I'm old enough to decide who I want to try and go out with alright?" Jaina said sternly to her twin brother, then she turned back to Jono. "You're Jono, right? You're cute, you got a girl back home?"

"Oh for Sith's sake." Jacen groaned under his breath. "Why don't you just throw yourself at him already?"

Jono just groaned inwardly and fiddled with his napkin. Morph leant over and smirked at Jono's dilemma. "What is it with you and hot eighteen year old girls?" The shapeshifter asked. Jono just shot a glare at Morph and continued to fiddle impatiently with his napkin.

On the other end Guardian and Leia were discussing certain political problems that had risen up after the defeat of the Empire. So Luke was free to talk to the other Exiles. "So tell me Clarice, I've never seen a species like yours before? Where do your people come from?" Luke said to her.

"Oh, um...I'm actually human." She told him, which surprised the Jedi Master. "The Exiles are a group of humans called mutants. We have this extra gene called and x-gene that gives up powers and abilities and in some cases like mine can alter the appearance of a person."

"That sounds interesting." Mara said. "That kind of sounds like how the Jedi can do things others can't with the Force. What exactly does this X-gene do for you?"

"Well since everyone's powers are different and it's very rare to see two mutants with the same exact powers, mine are two fold." Blink explained. "You see I can create portals that can teleport a person and I can charge these lances I carry to teleport or destroy objects."

"Now that is interesting." Mara said. "I've never heard of _anything_ like that."

"What about you?" Luke asked Vincent who was sitting next to Blink.

"My powers are more varied. I can fly, and I got super strength, speed, energy manipulation and my body is practically invulnerable. I could most likely pick up an X-Wing with one hand, blast it to scrap or you could shoot me with those laser canons and I wouldn't die...my clothing on the other hand would be ruined and it might sting like hell but besides that I should be fine."

"That's impressive." Luke said astonished, even the stories of things he had seen from other Jedi didn't compare with that or being able to teleport.

"You know there's one thing I've always wanted to ask a Jedi." Vince said to him.

"Oh? What is that?" Luke smiled.

"Those lightsabres of yours...when you turn them on how do they know when to stop?" He asked. After the dinner there was much talking and comparing stories so far. There was even a little dancing as musicians played some kind of a waltz but nothing you'd hear on Earth.

The couples paired off at first. Jono was standing by a pillar looking over the crowd and wishing that Erotica didn't have to work this night. He bet she would have loved this. "You want to dance?" Came a familiar voice and Jono contemplated how to escape but wasn't sure how to do that and not offend her.

He turned to see Jaina looking at him and he could see she had her heart set on it and couldn't turn her down. "Alright fine, but just one." Jaina smiled happily and grabbed his hand as she led him to the dance floor.

Blink was watching the others having a good time and was starting to feel a little left our. "Care to dance?" She turned her head and saw Vincent offering her his hand.

She smiled and took it. "I'd love to."

April looked at Vince having a good time with Blink and sighed. Dare walked up to her wearing an eye-patch that matched her clothing. "What's wrong?" She asked then noticed where she was looking at and frowned. "Are you smitten with Vince?"

"What?"

"Smitten, you know you got a crush on him or something, you like him more then a friend type of thing." Dare explained.

April shook her head. "Not...in that way. It's just...I think of him like a big brother you know? My version was there for me and so has this one and, well..." She trailed off trying to put it into words but Dare got it and smiled.

"Hey no worries, I mean you can't spend you're entire time together you both need a separate life you know. So come on, be happy for the big guy, I mean he looks happy dancing with her." April looked out and he did seem happy and she smiled. She guessed it was a bit selfish to keep him all to herself. "Come on." Dare said taking her hand. "I'm bored, let's go dance."

"But...I-I've never danced before." April said nervously.

Dare just grinned. "No worries I can teach you, it's easy."

**After the dance-**

After dinner, the Exiles were being shown around the senate building. They all gazed at the surroundings as they passed. The whole building was made out of some white metal. There were whole patches of exotic plants dotted about too. The Exiles had never seen such diverse plant life before, even those of them that had been into space before.

"I must say, Threepio." Vince said. "I love the array of plants you've got here." Normally he wouldn't care but living in a city for years made you appreciate things you never had.

"Thank you Master Vincent." Threepio replied. "But I cannot take credit as I was not the one that arranged them so." Artoo beeped something in reply. "I cannot possibly tell them that you near-sighted scrap pile!" Threepio replied.

"Care to translate for us?" Jono asked.

"I'm afraid that my programming does not enable me to repeat what my counterpart has just said." Threepio replied.

"The droid's got a potty mouth." August smirked. "He's my kind of droid."

Blink noticed that Heather was lagging behind. "Heather, what's the matter? Are you alright?"

"Oh, I'm fine Blink." Heather replied. "I was just wondering where Morph and Rahne disappeared too."

"I'm sure they'll turn up somewhere." Blink said. "Why don't we go join the others, I want to tease Jono about his teenaged stalker."

"Who, Jaina?" Heather asked. "Seriously, what is it with Jono and teenaged girls?" Blink just chuckled and carried on walking. Unseen by the two women, a foot was sticking out from a nearby bush.

"I'm not sure that we should be doing this here, Rahne." Morph said from the undergrowth.

"There's nothing tae worry about, Morph. It's nae as if anybody's going tae see us." Rahne replied.

"I suppose..." Morph muttered.

"That's m'boy." Rahne smiled as she crept closer.

**Later-**

The tour around the senate had finished and the Exiles were at a loss as to what to do. "Have you guys got any decent bars around here?" Dare asked with April not far behind.

"Yeah, I've always wanted to see the lower levels of Coruscant for myself." August added, she remembered how it looked in Episode Two and had always wanted to see the real thing when she first heard this was where they were going.

"Hrrrnn." Chewbacca said in warning.

"Care to translate that for those of use who don't talk Wookiee?" Vincent asked.

"Chewie doesn't think that it's safe for strangers to go about the lower levels." Han replied. "And I have to agree with him. It wouldn't do our reputation any good if our guests get killed by a bounty hunter out for a quick buck."

"No offence but we can handle it, I mean we go on dangerous stuff all the time." Vincent said to him. "We're not exactly human remember?"

"Besides, you could always escort us." Jono said. "Having a seven foot tall Wookiee should deter anybody that wants to try it with us."

"Or Heather could change to her Sasquatch form." Vince added.

"People might mistake me for a Wookiee." Heather replied. "Then they'd hear me talk and we know how rare it is to find Wookies talking English, or Basic as it's called here, plus my other form is kind of large and I might not fit through some of the doors."

"Grrroooww!" Chewie added.

"Well if you wanna show them around, be my guest." Han replied. "Just keep them off the Wookiee ale, okay?" Chewbacca growled something in reply.

"Aww c'mon Chewie." Han said not liking what he had just said. "I'm not a babysitter." Chewie repeated his comment, baring his teeth for emphasis. "Alright, I'll tag along too." Hank sighed. "Just try to keep out of trouble, okay?"

"Hey guys, you going anywhere?" Morph said as he walked up with Rahne.

"Han and Chewie are gonna show us some decent night spots." August replied.

"Ooh, can I come along?" Morph asked.

"The more the merrier." Vince added. "Aren't you coming too, Blink?"

"I'm not really in the mood for alien booze I'm afraid." Blink replied. "But thanks for asking anyway."

"I'm gonna stay behind too." Heather added. "Anakin and Jacen want to hear about all the stuff we've done."

"I guess that Guardian will want to stay behind too." Blink said. "He's still talking with the High Council, apparently they want his help with something over on Hoth."

"I hope you guys don't mind but I think I'll stay behind too." Vincent added turning to the others.

"Oh yeah, I bet that you'll want to stay behind, buddy." Morph teased. "You and Blink, all alone, huh?" Rahne standing next to him with her arm linked in his grinned at the Canadian.

"It's nothing like that." Vince quickly replied. "We're just friends, is all."

"We'll meet you outside the Council Chambers in a few hours, okay?" Blink said trying to help him out of this by changing the subject.

"Don't get too drunk." Heather smirked as she waved the others off.

**The Cantina-**

Han, Chewie and the others caught a hover-cab down several levels to a little cantina that Han knew. The main difference about moving down through Coruscant's levels is that it starts to get darker, because all the huge buildings start to block out the sun. The garish neon lights hardly do anything to combat this however and everything is overcast by a dirty brown murkiness.

"Nice place." Morph muttered as they got out of the hover-cab.

The Exiles followed Han and Chewie into a cantina that looked suspiciously familiar.

"Is that the cantina from Mos Eisley?" Jono asked.

"It's only a replica, kid." Han replied. "After the defeat of the Empire, tales of our adventures began to spread and a following began."

"It's kinda like that on Earth." Morph smirked. "Fanboys dressing up as Jedi and stuff."

"I hope you guys have got money." Han said.

"Oh yeah." Dare replied showing him a few credits from a red purse that matched her red dress. "Guardian gave us some New Republic credits before we came out here."

Everybody looked around at the cantina as they walked inside. It was very authentic, just like the one in Mos Eisley, only a bit larger and not as rundown looking. There were even some bulb-headed aliens playing music in the corner. "Mos Eisley, you will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy." Morph joked.

"You guys grab a seat and I'll get the first round in." Jono said.

The Exiles did as they were told and grabbed a corner booth while Han and Chewie went to talk to some friends they saw in the place. Jono approached the bar and ordered the drinks. He was waiting for the barman to get them when a shady-looking character tugged on his shoulder. "You wanna buy some death sticks?"

"You don't want to sell me death sticks." Jono replied as he waved his hand.

"I don't wanna sell you death sticks." The guy repeated.

"You're going to go home and rethink your life." Jono said.

"I wanna go home and rethink my life." The guy said as he walked off.

Jono just chuckled to himself as he took the drinks and carried them over to the table. "I always wanted to see if that would work." He smirked.

**Later-**

It was Morph's turn to buy a round. He was waiting patiently when he saw a familiar form walk past. It was Jar Jar Binks, or someone of his species. An evil grin spread on Morph's face as he got an idea. "Hey Chewie." He said as he tapped the Wookiee on the shoulder. "I think that Gungan just insulted your mother." Chewie growled in anger and stomped toward the random Gungan. Morph chuckled evilly as he heard the sound of a fight several feet away.

"No, mesa no wanten crunchen!"

That was followed by a typical Wookiee roar and the telltale sound of arms being pulled from their sockets. "I hope you didn't set Chewie on that poor defenceless Gungan, did you?" Heather smirked.

"Maybe." Morph smirked as he dealt out the drinks.

"Are you sure you want to try that Wookiee ale?" August asked. "Didn't Han say that it was really potent?"

"Pff, that's just a warning for the tourists." Morph snorted. "We're made of more hardy stock. Besides, I'm basically made out of unstable molecules so I can't get drunk anyway." April, Dare and August watched as Morph downed the tankard in one gulp.

"Well, how is it?" Dare asked him looking at him with her single eye.

"I think my throat's melting." Morph squeaked as he held his throat and Rahne asked him if he wanted some water or something.

"I wonder how much alcohol that's got in." August thought out loud as she took the tankard and peered inside.

"I don't think I'm gonna like what you're planning." April said, she knew that fire and alcohol didn't mix well from the arson training she had been put through by Hydra.

"What? I'm just gonna burn the leftovers to see how much alcohol there is." August replied as she dropped a small lick of flame into the tankard. She was promptly knocked back as a huge jet of flame shot out the top, a few of the patrons started shouting in alien languages either from the scare or for trying something stupid like that. "Note to self, don't try that again." August muttered as she checked to see if she still had eyebrows.

**Back at the Senate-**

The Exiles were all gathered up and ready to go home. Rahne and Dare were holding up an unconscious Morph. It seemed that the Wookiee ale was too much for him, even if it was really hard for him to get drunk. "I apologise for Morph." Guardian sighed. "He was warned not to try the Wookiee ale but he rarely listens to instructions."

"That's quite alright." Luke Skywalker shrugged. "Are you sure that I can't help heal his state for you?"

"I think it would be better for him to sleep it off." Guardian replied. "It will serve him right for not listening, and the hangover might make him rethink of trying that again."

"It'll be a shame to see you leave." Luke said. "Are you sure that you can't stay a little longer?"

"I'm afraid not." Guardian replied. "We have a busy day tomorrow and we have to get Morph back before he starts vomiting."

"Farewell then." Luke said as he gave Guardian and the others a bow. "We hope that you will return soon."

Jaina scooched beside Luke and walked up to Jono. "Don't be a stranger." He said as she pecked Jono on the cheek. The other Exiles could hardly contain their laughter as Jono sputtered embarrassedly.

**TBC...

* * *

**

_**Next: Heather's Reunion**_

_**Heather finally gets her chance to go home, but what trouble is happening in her world that has Guardian so worried?**_


	17. Heather's Reunion

**THE NEW EXILES**

**By: The Uncanny R-Man & Agent-G**

**Shout outs:**

TheLegendaryManHimself: Yep this is all new from this moment on, so enjoy.

Taker: Glad you like this, also Heather was married to Logan but he went nuts and she killed him, then she married James Hudson after him, so she's been married twice.

X-Over: She'll met her husband but won't leave the team, maybe we could do something with Lexx at one point.

Thanks to: Fireinu, Red Witch, Winblades

* * *

**Chapter 17: Heather's Reunion** **-THE COMPLEX-**

Guardian was working on the transporter. With him were a lot of maintenance bots and even April was helping out. There were a lot of wires and cables being hooked up to different machined and devices. Guardian was working under the control panel without his trademark leather jacket on, or his travel pouch at his side. "April, could you move that quantum flux regulator over here? It's that large silver thing to your left." He said from under the device while he was re-wring it.

"Alright." She saw the device and with her powers manipulated the gravity around it to make it light as a feather and easily carried it over to him. At that moment Morph walked in whistling and carrying a bottle of champagne.

"Whoa, what's going on?" He asked. He was on his way to visit Rahne and suddenly he got the feeling he wouldn't be going anywhere at the moment.

"Morph, I should be done in about an hour, tell the others to be in the briefing room at that time." He said seriously. In fact Morph was a little surprised at the intensity of how serious that had come out.

"O-kay." He said backing away. He got a really bad feeling about this.

It was over an hour later and everyone was now in the briefing room waiting for Guardian to show up and things were getting a little tense. "He's never been late for these things." Blink said out loud. "Something has to be wrong." There were a few agreements to that then the doors opened and they saw Guardian walk in.

They all noticed how tense he looked and even his face was completely stern with no trace of any of the good-natured expression that he usually had on him. He activated the holo-imager. "Alright I'll get to the point. This is one serious mission and I won't lie to you, it can be bad."

"How bad?" August asked him.

"The entire reality you're going to is becoming unstable and will likely collapse, killing everything in it. Now think about what that means, all the planets, all the stars, every single thing from the smallest microbe to any and all life, intelligent or not will perish. But that's not the worst of it."

"What can be worse then that?" Heather asked him, trying to get her head around the sheer scale of what they had to save.

Guardian looked sadly then at her. "It's your home universe Heather." She gasped and covered her mouth. She didn't want it to be true, she wanted him to be mistaken, but she worked here long enough to know he knew what he was doing. "Oh God…James." She whispered the name of her husband.

An image of many spheres attacked to each other by stings. "You see each universe in some way is connected to each other. This is a basic model for you to understand. You see these _'strings'_? They're what hold the universes in relative place. Somehow something is sapping the strength of the strings." One of the balls started to shake.

"Because of this, Heather's reality is becoming 'unstuck' and until now I haven't been able to get a decent lock on her world to safely get you there."

"What do you mean by safely?" Jono asked him. "You mean you could have sent us there anytime?"

Guardian nodded. "Yes, but only if I overrode all the safety protocols on the transporter. You see everything in a reality is in motion. Time, the planet, the solar system, each galaxy is always in motion, and this 'shaking' as you see." As he pointed to the shaking sphere. "Only makes getting a lock worse. If I sent you before now you could have ended up in a solid object or in deep space."

"Whoa…that's bad." Morph said to him. He never really asked how the thing worked and part of it was he was sure he wouldn't understand it, the other was stuff like this. This was something he could live without knowing.

"Yes. Now we don't have much time." He told them getting to the point. "Now I can send you to her world but until you stop whatever is the cause of this. I can't get you back. This might be a one-way trip people so I only want volunteers. I won't send anyone who doesn't want to go."

"This is my home." Heather said sternly to him. "I'm not going to sit by and let it just be destroyed."

Blink but a hand on her shoulder. "And I won't let you do this alone, you've been part of the team too long for us to abandon you."

"What the hell." Jono said smiling. "In for a penny in for a pound."

"I ain't going to miss out on this." Vincent agreed.

"And I'm not going to be left out either." August told them. They all looked to Morph.

"What? You know I'm going." He said. "You guys would be lost with out me."

**-EARTH – DIMENSION – M3875024 (Heather's World)-**

The Exiles appeared in a forest area in the middle of nowhere. Blink looked around and took the PADD out for a scan.

"You think that thing will point us in the right direction?" Morph asked her looking over her shoulder.

"He said he adjusted it to scan for whatever it is that could be doing this…and I think we got something." She looked at the screen as it showed it a few kilometers in a certain direction. "It's over that way…but it's kind of far so it might take us a while to get there."

"Great." Muttered Morph.

"What are you complaining about?" August asked him. "You can fly."

"Let's go already." Heather said already taking off in the direction.

As they made their way to the place Vincent noticed that Jono seemed a little uneasy. "You okay man?"

He shrugged. "Nothing much…it's just that this place looks kind of like the same place where you guys got me. I mean the mountains and stuff seem to familiar although it's spring here then winter, I just keep being reminded of being haunted down and nearly killed."

Vince nodded and Jono looked over at him. "Isn't this the part where you tell me not to worry?" Jono asked him.

"Ah…so you want me to lie." He said with a smirk.

Jono glared at him. "Oh that's _real_ funny."

**-After an hour-**

They all had been walking along heading up the mountain while Morph complained a few times it was actually kind of quiet and if the threat of the universe imploding in on itself wasn't there it might have been a nice time too. "Are we there yet?" Morph asked.

"Almost." Blink sighed looking at the PADD. "Just a couple of miles."

"Well you're not going any father lady!" The looked up to see a man in red and white uniform fly from the sky along with a boy and girl in matching white and black uniforms on. They landed in front of them and the red and white guy, whose costume had a Canadian flag look to it stared at them. "Who are you people?" He demanded. Then he looked at Heather and his jaw the only thing not covered by the costume dropped. "Heather?" He asked as if not believing what he was seeing.

Heather looked at him curiously and she realized that she knew that voice. "James?" She asked stepping forward. He pulled back the mask and Heather's heart leaped for joy at seeing her husband again. "James!" She shouted and ran to his arms and he hugged her as soon as he could.

"Oh god baby what happened to you? Where did you go? One moment you were there then suddenly…" He said recalling the day she disappeared right in front of him.

She pulled away slightly and smiled up at him tears streaming down her face. "It's…it's a long story honey, but I can tell you on the way, by the way what's with the suit?"

"Oh this?" He said looking down. "Well when you…left…we needed to fill in the ranks a bit more. Behind me are North and South Star two of the new members and well I made this suit to join in. I got sick of being in the lab the entire time and now I'm on the team. I go by Vindicator. But who are these people and why are you here?"

"These are my friends and…teammates the Exiles. And…well…we're here to save this reality from something that will cause it to collapse in fact it's already doing damage and if it isn't stopped then…it's the end of the world."

James stared at his wife in shock. "Where is this happening?" He asked urgently he knew his wife enough to know she wasn't kidding around.

Blink stepped forward. "This shows the location." She told him showing him a map of the area with a red dot. His face got grim and looked at the Exiles.

"You all better come with me, this area is a top secret base where Alpha Flight is stationed."

"James what are you doing there?" She asked him urgently.

"It's a research lab Heather, but…there might be one thing that might be the cause of this." He said grimly. They made their was to a mountain base and on the way there Heather filled in James on everything that had happened to her. By the time they got to the giant metallic security door he was holding her tightly. "I'm so sorry you had to go through some of that sweetie."

"Thanks James…I'm just happy to be back with you." She sighed leaning her head on his shoulder. When they entered the facility she saw more old friends. "Puck! Shaman!" She cried out seeing the small French Canadian man and next to him stood the much taller native of this land.

She hugged them both, she was happy to see them again. "Where the hell have you been girl?" Puck asked her.

"That is a long story little man." She said grinning at him. "But I'm happy to see the both of you again."

"Well maybe you can tell me what's going on here?" Said a gruff voice of a man in Canadian Forces uniform that had General marking on his shoulders, he was in his late fifties, with gray hair and a lot of old age lines on his face. "Vindicator who is _are_ these people?" He demanded.

"Sir this is my wife and her friends. And I think you should listen to what they got to say." James said seriously. They met in a meeting room as Blink explained their mission here and also she showed a few of the calculation on the PADD to a few scientists that were called in.

"Well what do you eggheads think?" The General told them, he refused to give out anything other then rank to the Exiles.

"Well…to tell the truth sir, this is some heavy stuff." A woman with short blond hair said looking over the data that was downloaded into a PC for them to look at. "I mean it could take years to figure some of these equations out…but…from what I _can_ understand…they might be right."

"Are you saying Dr. Anton's pet project might cause the annihilation of the entire universe?!" He shouted.

"Um…possibly." She said to him.

The General jumped to his feet and to a phone line. "Captain I want you to shut down Anton's experiment…yes NOW!" He led the group down into the facility and to a large computer operated room with steel door shuttered over the glass windows.

"What is the meaning of this?" Shouted a short man with messy blond hair and thick glasses and a lab coat.

"New information has come to my attention that your project may be a danger." The General told him sternly.

"Nonsense!"

"I'm afraid it's true." Blink said pointing the PADD at the window. "Whatever is causing this reality to be 'unhooked' is right through there."

"What the hell is behind that thing?" Jono asked. "I mean what is that guy working on?"

"I'll show you!" He pressed a button and the security shutters lifted. They saw a large smooth room and in the center was a sphere that was floating between two cylinders that looked like they would spin. "This is the 'Battery' as I call it. It draws energy from inside the universe itself from a realm of pure energy. And it also uses that energy to make a protective field around all the walls and equipment to protect it from all the energy that fills the chamber. With this I can make unlimited energy!"

"You're also weakening the supports of this reality and causing it to fall apart." Vince said sternly.

"What?! That's nonsense!"

"Not according to the data that I got from them." The General said to him. "I knew this was a bad idea, taking energy from god knows where. I've heard about things like the Negative Zone and I knew messing with other realities or realms or whatever you call it, was a mistake. Until we know more I'm shutting this down."

"You can't do that! This is my life's work!" He looked over at the Exiles. "This is all your fault. You were sent here to ruin me weren't you!" He lunched at them but August easily stopped him by lifting him up off the ground. He was hauled off screaming bloody murder at him.

"Whoa…that guy needs a vacation." Morph muttered seeing him being dragged off. 'Maybe the kind with a rubber room and straight jacket.' He thought to himself.

"Now can someone please make sure this thing is shut down?" The General barked out. "I want to make sure that if this thing is causing whatever you said, I don't want it being turned on by accident. Or something." He looked around at a few of the other scientists. "Well…don't one of you know how to work this?"

One of them stepped forward. "Um…actually sir…no. You see Dr. Anton was a bit…'protective' of his work, we know how to record the data and to help him out but…"

"But none of you know how to work it well enough and I don't think he will co-operate." The General exasperated. Blink thought of something and pulled out the PADD and started to scan the room. "What are you doing?"

"This device is way more advanced then anything on this planet." She said as she scanned the equipment. "I figure if I scan the equipment it might be able to tell me how to turn it off permanently."

"Can it do that?"

Blink looked a little unsure. "I'm not sure…but it's worth a shot. It might take some time though."

"Fine then." The General said. "I'll send a couple of guards to keep you company."

"I think I'll stay too." Vincent said. He didn't like the idea of her alone with a few guards looking over her shoulder. "If that's alright with you?" He asked and she nodded not looking up from the data.

"Alright then, let's leave the girl to work." The General said as they filed out of the room.

In the medical room a doctor had just given something to calm Anton down. As he lay there staring up at the ceiling he saw his life's work being destroyed all his hard work to make an unlimited power source were vanishing all because of these…people. They must have been sent here to ruin him a few were obviously mutants and they must have did something to everyone. Turned them against him with their powers. 'No! They won't get away with this…I'll prove it works! I gave up too much of my life for this and it all won't be in vain.' When he could he got up and luckily they hadn't placed a guard on him and the doctor had left so it was easy to sneak off.

He would need something to help him. He found one of the armory rooms, normally they were locked with a keypad but for someone like him it was child's play to get pass the lock. He grabbed a 9mm and a knockout gas grenade. He hid the weapons in his lab coat and made his way down to his experiment. He walked the halls silently and he saw that the room door was open. He looked in and saw the purple skinned woman doing something to his equipment. The two guards were facing them so his task would be easy. He saw the other man in a leather jacket and black mullet like hair watching over her too.

He pulled out the pin of the grenade and threw it in. He quickly typed in a code to the access keypad by the door and the thick steel door slammed shut. He could hear muffled shouts and to his surprise a few dents started to appear in the door but after a few seconds it stopped. He was afraid the door might be stuck but after he put in his access code the door did open enough for him to slip in. He saw that everybody was unconscious and he considered just putting the gun to heads of the two of the strangers but he got a better, more appropriate idea.

**-Later-**

Both feeling groggy and both with a headache, Blink and Vincent slowly got to their feet. "Okay I'm going to say we got gassed." Vincent groaned out, he remembered seeing the gas grenade get thrown in and in the small room it worked fast.

"And I think I know who." Blink hissed through her teeth, she just wished the gas hadn't taken effect so quickly, she couldn't even get a portal open before she started to feel dizzy. "Uh oh." She said looking at where they were.

They were inside the quantum chamber, the double doors were closed and so was the blast shielding on the windows. Then there was a humming sound as the central device started to rotate and power up. "Oh crap!" Vincent said then a blue shimmer engulfed the room as all the walls and devices seemed to be covered in a strange energy. "Tell me that's not that shielding that he talked about that goes up before the thing turns on."

Blink went for her lances but they were gone. She tried to create a portal but it partially shimmered there for only a second before disappearing. "This isn't good. I can't get us out of here." Blink said getting seriously worried as the humming started to increase in pitch. She went for her watch but it was gone, as was the PADD and recall device. "Vince I don't have my watch, do you still have yours?"

He looked at his wrist. "Damn mine's gone too."

Vincent looked about but couldn't see any holes in the barrier. If what the scientist said was true and that the energy was drawn off from the building blocks of the universe itself then he didn't think even his powers could put a dent in it. "Screw it." Then again he wasn't going to lay down and die either. "Blink get behind me, I'm going for a full blast and it's going to not only take a lot out of me but it's also going to be pretty powerful."

"Can you really bust through that? With what the guy said it might be impenetrable." She asked him as she got behind him for a shield.

Vince was silent a moment. "It's worth a try." He brought his hands together and as they took on a crimson glow so did his eyes and he built the energy up then with a roar he unleashed it. Blink had to shut her eyes from the light and had to hold on to his waist, as the force of the blast was incredible. Vince poured on the energy like a canon at the doors, he put everything in it.

He kept up the steady stream of destruction until he had nothing left and dropped to his knees. He looked at the door but there wasn't any change. "This…isn't…good." He said through panting breaths.

While the two of them were trapped the others were starting to worry. "Hey don't you think Vince and Blink should have shown up by now?" Jono asked everyone. They were in the cafeteria getting to know Alpha Flight.

"Not if they want some 'alone time'." Morph snickered.

August rolled her eyes. "Come on they wouldn't do that on a mission."

"What? Are those two an item?" Puck asked them who was sitting next to Morph.

"You'd think it, but they both don't want to admit it." Jono said offhandedly. "You know that old cliché."

"Well I'm going to call them." August raised her communication watch. "Hey guys what's the hold up?" There was just static on the other line. "Vince? Blink? Come on guys this isn't funny." She looked up worried that something was wrong and she could see the others thought so too.

"Think we better check this out?" Chamber asked her.

"Oh yeah." She replied. The Exiles along with Alpha Flight made their way to the room and they saw the ruined door. "Oh this isn't good."

When they got close enough a shot rang out as everyone ducked as best they could. "Stay away! You'll not ruin my lives work!"

"Great the doc's snapped!" Jono shouted.

"I'll deal with this." Vindicator said pulling up his mask as a force field turned on and in a blur he charged into the room. A few shots were heard then the doc yelling, they also saw two tied up guards that other members of Alpha Flight were untying. "Alright come on in." They walked in seeing him being held up in the air by him with one arm and struggling. Heather saw the PADD and the watches and recall devices on a table and she turned to him.

"Where are they?" She demanded.

"Doesn't matter, soon your friends will be gone and I'll be proven right!" Anton snapped at her.

"What the hell does that mean? I mean where could they be that Vince couldn't bust his way out of or Blink teleport out of?" Morph asked then looked to the shuttered windows. "Oh no." He said silently and everyone looked to there and they knew what was going on.

Heather looked at the controls. "Guys…it's starting up I think."

"Shut it down!" James yelled out and shook Anton.

"Screw you flag boy!" He snapped.

"Jono can you look in his head and figure out how to stop this?" August asked the British mutant.

"I don't know I've never tried reading a mind yet…I'm…I'm not sure I can do that but I'll try." Vindicator held him and Jono placed his hands on the man's head. 'Well this works for Vulcans.' He thought to himself as he tried to read his mind. It was a lot harder then it looked he tried to get into his mind but couldn't understand what he was getting. "It's…it's not bloody working!"

"Screw it!" August said and stormed over to the controls. "Time for the old fashioned way." She said as she started to smash up the controls.

**-Quantum Chamber-**

Vince was being held up by Blink, as he was still slightly weak from his energy use. They were helplessly looking at the central machine as it was continuing to build up speed and power. "I guess this is it." She said mainly to herself. She had faced death many times, she had survived her own reality that had crumbled like this one was going to, but now she didn't think she or anyone else would miraculously survive.

Vincent hated to admit defeat like this but he had no idea on how to get out of this room and when the power reached full speed they would be killed from the giant surge of energy that would be released into the chamber and then soon the entire reality would unravel. He didn't fear death. He had seen it first hand so many times. As a child when he escaped the lab that he had been experimented to when he jumped to what he thought would be his own death then be captured. He was lucky his powers had started to kick in and the fall hadn't killed him.

He survived living on the streets as a child, the Sentinels and everything else he had done as an Exile. But that didn't mean he wanted to die. He looked over to Blink and felt a deep disappointment that he never got the courage to tell her. At first he was impressed with her, and she had earned his respect. Then he had started to think of her then more then just a friend, and then as they spent more time together he found himself falling for her.

She was strong, and skilled leader. Her light purple toned skin and short pinkish hair and the triangular marks on her face gave her an exotic look. She also knew the kind of pain he had lived with, and he felt they were two of a kind in some regards, something he never felt with anyone else. Since they were about to die he wanted to do the one thing he had been afraid to do.

He placed his arm lower on her waist and with his free hand put it on her face and turned her to face him. "Vince…what are you doing?" She asked him seeing him look into her eyes with a look she hadn't seen since Mimic.

"Something I should have done a long time ago." Then without another word he brought her close and kissed her on the lips. The kiss was passionate but also there was gentleness to it. Blink was surprised by the action but she suddenly felt like responding, so she kissed him back. She wrapped her arms under his grabbed onto his back pulling him closer deepening their kiss. They were oblivious to the brighter light growing in the chamber but they didn't care.

This moment was something that they both wanted to last forever. As the camber filled with light they both felt like if they had to die then they were glad they were together then dying alone. Then suddenly the light faded and the humming stopped. As soon as that registered they broke their kiss looking around but still holding onto each other.

"Are we dead?" Blink asked.

"If we are then the afterlife is a major let down." He said to her staring around the place.

"The others…they must have shut it down or something." Blink said excitedly. Vincent smiled down at her and they laughed a bit from the tense moment of facing death but it was short lived as they looked at each other.

Vince was about to speak when the door were slowly opening up. "Later?" He asked her and she knew it was going to be about what had just happened between the two of them.

"Later." She agreed and they broke off then she noticed something. "Uh…Vince…you got some of my lipstick on your mouth. He quickly wiped it away with his hand before the others came in and found them. Morph and August ran into the chamber. "You guys alright?" August asked.

"Yeah, we're fine. I take it you guys got Anton right?" Blink asked them.

"Oh yeah, the little weasel tried to prove he was right and that you guys were just trying to stop his work." Morph said with a frown crossing his arms. "Man that guy has lost it."

Not long later, Anton was placed in the stockade of the base and the General assured them that his research would but put on hold until the equations that he was given proved if his device was safe or not. But there was something else over in a corner James and Heather were talking. "But why can't you stay?" James asked his wife.

"James, what we do is more important then anything I've done here."

"I don't want to lose you again." He told her.

"You don't have to…not if you come with me." She told him and looked hopefully into his eyes.

"But what will I do?" He asked her. "I'm not the kind of guy to sit around you know."

She smiled at him. "James he's making a reserve unit of Exiles and also there is tons of work to do. I mean the labs there are beyond anything we ever worked with, and so much to learn. I mean thanks to the Doc alone I've learned surgical procedures that I didn't even think of. Please come with me." She pleaded.

He smiled down at his wife. "Well if you put it that way…when do we leave?"

**-Blink's room, The Complex -**

Blink was on the balcony of her room staring out over the ocean, she guessed the residential rooms all face this way because of the view, which was breathtaking at times. She heard the door open and close but she knew who it would be. Vincent walked over next to her and leaned forward on the rail. Neither one of them said anything for a minute but he started off.

"So…where do we go from here?" He asked her staring out to the ocean.

She had been thinking about this ever since that kiss. "Vincent…I won't lie to you…I wasn't sure after Calvin that I would be able to feel like that again…but over the past few months I found out that I do care for you…more then a friend."

He smiled at that but didn't look at her. "I…feel the same way…but I'm scared…"

"Of what?"

He sighed. "Clarice, everyone who has loved me or that I loved has died. I…I don't want that to happen to you." He said sadly.

She looked at him for a minute and got a little angry with him. "Look here mister!" She snapped and her sudden outburst causes him to snap his head to her. "If you think that if you allow yourself to care about me more then a friend and that will cause my death…well it doesn't work like that." She calmed down and placed a hand on his cheek. "We can't let our lives be ruled by fear, and we live dangerous lives there's no telling what will happen to us, and you're not the only one who has lost people…I'm willing to try if you are."

He looked into her green eyes and leaned towards her and kissed her and they broke apart he smiled a little. "I think I will try…some things are worth taking risks for."

In another room, Heather's to be exact, James was looking over the room that to him looked like a suite at a hotel. "Honey I can't believe this is where you've been living lately, I mean our old apartment could almost fit…in…" He trailed off seeing his dark skinned wife walk out of the bathroom in a red robe with matching lace teddy and walked over to him. "Uh…Heather?"

She placed a finger to his lips. "No more talking James, I haven't seen you in over a year." She smiled at him. "I want to make up for all the time we lost." She kissed her husband and he eagerly kissed her back and for the first time in over a year Heather felt like she had come home and that all was right with her life.

**-The Dark Chamber-**

The Dark Circle was in session and this time they were to discuss a certain problem with the Exiles. "I still say I can take him!" The impulsive member of the group shouted.

"Oh shut up about that!" A female said. "What we need to do is to take out that damn team of his, are ruing several of our plans and has gotten out of that trap that was set up when he soul searched for John Proudstar."

"Ha! Good luck with that!" One of the members said and a few of them chuckled at that.

"Maybe we should fight fire with fire. Remake the Weapon X team."

"Oh yeah and remember how well _that_ worked out!" Came something with several overlapping voices. "Hyperion ruined that plan!"

"Then we don't use him or anyone _like_ him, who picked that guy anyway?"

"I believe I have the perfect team." Came a wheezing voice. "Timebroker." A Timebroker entered the room, the short bolding dark haired man with pure black eyes walked in. The Timebrokers were the servants of the Dark Circle.

"May I introduce the candidates." The Timebroker said and several figures walked in. A man in blue and yellow armor with weapons strapped to his body and wore a mask with the only eye hole in the yellow half of his mask. "This is Slade Wilson, AKA Deathstroke The Terminator. He will lead the team." Slade raised his arm to show a Tallus on his arm. "He agreed to help us as long as we agree to bring back his son."

Next came a tall blond woman in all red leather, she was beautiful and her face showed no emotion. "This is a Terminator unit, a TX model. We captured and reprogrammed it and modified it with new technology to fight for us."

Next came a striking female with long dark hair in a red one-piece leather jump suit with a Katana on her back. "This is Lady Shiva, assassin extraordinaire and we offered her the chance to test her fighting abilities against opponents she would never have the chance to fight."

Next came a man in yellow and black warrior ninja garb. He wore black gauntlets and two katanas on his back. He wore a hood with a yellow mask on his lower face that looked like a skull. His eyes were white like death. "This is the ninja Scorpion. He is a Specter, a man who has died and came back. We took him out of Neitherealm and offered him a chance to live again."

Next came a woman in combat leather jacket and pants and boots. She also wore gloves and she had long dark hair, she looked about twenty-five but she was actually older. "This is X23, we took her from her former 'employers' and she is basically a living weapon. She'll do whatever we say as long as she gets to fight."

Lastly was a large gray hulk of a man in jeans and a trench coat. "This is Mr. Joe Fixit, the Gray Hulk. He wants to be free of Banner and we've temporarily buried that personality and when the Exiles are defeated we'll remove that personality."

"Ladies and gentlemen and others…meet our new Weapon X team."

TBC… 

**Up Next: Dinner with Dare**

April gets do know Dare over dinner. Will Dare take the opportunity to tell April how she feels about her? Who is the mysterious redhead in Dare's photos?

**Weapon X members and home universes:**

Scorpion – Mortal Kombat universe

TX – Terminator 3

Deathstroke – DC comics universe

Lady Shiva – DC comics universe

Grey Hulk – Alternate Marvel universe

X23 – Alternate Marvel universe


	18. Dinner with Dare

**The New Exiles**

**By The Uncanny R-Man And Agent-G**

_Shout Outs-_

Winblades: Yeah I know when I was trying to think of a leader of lethal killers I couldn't think of anyone else that could lead them. Well you'll see how April feels and as for Vincent, I think he might take it well.

X-Over: They may meet the Sliders later on and the Kro-mags later on too. You'll see more of Guardian's past in the next chapter.

* * *

**Chapter 18: Dinner With Dare****The Complex-**

April was strolling through the Complex. She was bored and was on the lookout for something to do. It wasn't that she didn't like her teammates, far from it; it was just the fact that she was closer to some people than others. Take Vincent for instance; back in her reality they were almost like brother and sister together. Then there was Dare, April wasn't sure what to make of her. Sometimes April would catch her stealing glances at her. They were the kind of looks that Morph would give her whenever she walked past. But that couldn't be the case, could it?

April simply shrugged it off as she walked into the rec room. August was always on at her to watch something called _'Kill Bill.'_ Frankly, April didn't have any idea what it was about. Seeing that she spent most of the early years of her life under the service of Hydra, there weren't many opportunities for recreation.

Unusually for a room that sees as much use as the rec room, the room was actually empty. There would always be two or more of April's fellow Exiles chilling out, either watching movies on the huge plasma screen or just sitting down and chatting.

"At least I'll have my privacy." April thought out loud as she sat down on the sofa and began to rifle through the collection of data crystals. Upon finding the appropriate crystal, she popped it into the player and sat back to enjoy it.

April's relative peace wasn't to last as Dare was also on the lookout for something to do. The crimson-clad Exile almost missed the rec room altogether until she heard the sounds of the Bride slicing up some random evildoers. She peeked into the rec room, careful not to disturb whoever was in there. A small smile spread on her face as she saw April sitting on the sofa all alone.

'Perhaps she could do with a little company…' Dare thought to her self as she silently crept into the room and sat down beside her.

"Didn't think you could escape form us that easily, did ya?" Dare smirked. April yelped in surprise and leapt up form the sofa.

"H-how did you get there?" April gasped as she put a hand to her chest, her heart beating rapidly.

"Ninja training, kiddo." Dare replied with a proud smile. "You learn a few things when your mom's one of the premier ninjas in the business." April's heartbeat slowly began to go back to normal as she sat back down.

Dare propped up her feet on the coffee table in front of them. It was obvious who had been in the rec room before them, as they had left a small pile of porno magazines behind.

"Morph should really clean up after himself." Dare said as she picked up one of the magazines and started to flick through it. Once she got to the centrefold, she opened it up and cocked her head, as she looked it over.

"You don't really like porn do you?" April asked innocently.

"Meh, you gotta get your kicks somewhere, I guess." Dare shrugged as she tucked away the magazine for future use. "So, you enjoying the movie? It's one of my favourites."

"It's… okay, I guess." April replied. "It's not really my thing, all the violence I mean."

Dare nodded in understanding. If Dare was a servant of Hydra and was responsible for some of the kind of things April did, she wouldn't be all that big on gratuitous violence either.

"Remind me to show you the wonders of Winnie the Pooh sometime." Dare said. "I dunno whether you're into Disney but it'll be a change form all the testosterone-fuelled movie nights that the guys hold."

"Or those… chick flicks Heather likes." April added with a small smile.

"Oh, I agree." Dare nodded. "Bridget Jones, bleh! So not for me."

**Later-**

The movie was pretty much forgotten as the two women began to talk. April soon found her opening up to Dare, she just felt comfortable in her presence.

"Well I first found out that I liked women when I was five." Dare explained. "There was a news broadcast on TV; the Avengers were fighting the Wrecking Crew in Times Square. The moment I saw the Scarlet Witch in action, I just wanted to carry her off in my arms."

"But you were five." April replied. "How would that work?'

"I didn't say it would be easy." Dare snickered. "Listen to me gabbing on, why don't you talk about yourself?"

"There's nothing really to know." April replied saddly. "I can't remember much of my childhood, the only memories that I can remember are those from Hydra and a bit of the Project…I'd rather not relive those. I don't know how Vince can do it, living with a photographic memory of that…" She trailed off feeling both sad for her and him.

Dare nodded sadly. Sure, she had had her share of crappiness, what with her eye being gouged out and all, but it was nothing compared to the stuff that April had seen. "You must have at least one happy memory." She said.

"Well there was this one time…" April began.

"It didn't happen at band camp by any chance, did it?" Dare asked with a cheeky smile. April just looked at her with a confused expression. "We have to get you up to date with your pop culture references." Dare sighed with a kind-hearted shake of her head.

April continued with her story…

"It was in a clear, open space. A park or something… No, it was a forest. There were lots of really tall trees about. I was with two people, one man and one woman. I think they were my parents. We could have been on holiday."

"Was this when you were a baby?" Dare asked, leaning forward on her hands in interest.

"I think it must have been." April replied. "They were really big and I was strapped into a pushchair. It was beautiful, I just felt at peace. But after that, nothing…"

Dare sighed sadly and gently placed her hand on top of April's in comfort. She looked into April's green eyes and it was almost as if there was a spark.

April noticed this also; a small tingle ran up her spine.

Dare slowly began to inch closer to her.

April's heart began to beat faster once more as she breathed in Dare's scent, cinnamon and rose oil. It was intoxicating. April inched closer to the other woman, her senses starting to go wild. There lips were mere inches away when Morph burst into the room.

"Who's stolen my porn?" He yelled angrily. "I bet it was Vince again! He always acts like the good little Catholic boy but we all know that he's got a deep, dark lust for jumbo hooters!"

Dare glared daggers at him; really pissed that he had ruined the mood. "Here's your damn porn!" She hissed as she flung the magazines at the shapeshifter. "And in future, it would be greatly appreciated if you cleaned up after yourself!"

"Geez, the way you're acting you'd think that I interrupted a make out session or something." Morph sniffed as he picked up his magazines. "Well you're off my Christmas card list."

Once Morph had gone, Dare turned back to April. 'God, I was so close to belting him, I swear.' Dare groaned.

April just shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "I-I have to go now…" She said, her comfort in the other woman's presence now gone.

Dare stood up and took her by the hand, preventing her from leaving. "What do you say we have a girls' night in tonight, just me and you?"

"I-I don't know…" April replied as she tried to avoid Dare's gaze. "Maybe, I don't know…"

Dare sighed reluctantly as she let her go, so much for progress.

**April's room-**

April felt like crap. She was that close to telling Dare how she felt, and Morph had to barge in and screw it up. Dare most probably hated her for it too. Dare seemed so sure and worldly wise, and what did she go and do, run off like a scared little bunny rabbit. There was only one way she could fix it, she was going to go over and tell Dare how she felt, teammates be damned.

April walked up to the control panel built into her wall and pressed the button to speak to Alfred.

"Alfred, do you know where Dare is? I need to talk to her."

"Ms Murdock is in her quarters." The sentient AI replied. "Do you wish for me to bring her to you?"

"No, that's alright." April replied. "Just tell her that I've decided to accept her offer and I'll be over right away."

"I will tell her right away." Alfred said as he signed off. April then looked around her room to try and see something that would be suitable to wear.

**Dare's room-**

Dare had just received the message from Alfred and to say that she was excited would be an understatement.

Dare was presently brushing her hair in front of her mirror in preparation of April's arrival. She was dressed in a slinky red dress with a slit up one leg. She also had on a matching eye patch. She decided against styling her hair and put it in a simple ponytail. Just as she finished her preparations, somebody knocked on the door.

"Umm, Dare. It's me, April…"

"Just be a second!" Dare called as she did some last-minute touches.

Upon reaching the door, Dare gathered herself before opening it. This was it, it was now or never. She pressed the button to open the door. She gaped as she saw how April was dressed. She was dressed in a dress similar to hers but green and a more conservative cut. She also had her hair piled on top of her head.

"Wow, you just look… wow." Dare said, lost for words.

April just blushed slightly at the compliment. "You look great too."

"Come on in." Dare said as she got out of the way. "Make yourself at home. I asked Alfred to cook us up something nice. He's got the cook bots on it right now."

April stepped into the room as the door swished shut behind her. It was rather different to hers. It was messier for a start. It had obviously been tidied in a hurry. Her attention was caught by an array of weapons displayed on the wall.

"Ah, my collection of weaponry's caught your attention, I see." Dare said as she walked up beside April.

"You certainly have a… passion for weapons." April said looking at a pair of nasty looking knives.

"I just like pointy things, I guess." Dare replied with a smirk.

"How did you get them all?" April asked, as she looked the weapons over.

"Well, the sai are form my mother." Dare replied. "She's pretty much retired from the hero biz so she gave them to me. The machetes originally belonged to Typhoid Mary. Before she was turned into a vampire, of course."

"Is that a real lightsabre?" April asked as she spied the familiar weapon of the Jedi.

"Nah, of course not." Dare replied. "That's just one of the props form the movies. I brought it on eBay, y'see. Although I am thinking of asking Guardian if he can get me a real one, I'm dying to try the real thing." She grinned to herself, ever since the Star Wars universe she wanted to get one for herself.

"You certainly have more stuff than I do." April said as she looked around. "All I've got is the stuff that I brought in the city."

Dare sat down on her sofa and looked back at April, still browsing over her things. April stopped in front of a photo of Dare pre-eye patch and an attractive redhead dressed in a red and blue costume. They seemed rather close together as Dare had her arm around the other girl's shoulders and was licking her cheek. April wasn't familiar with the sensation that she felt in her gut, how could she compete with the redhead in the picture.

"That's May." Dare said as she walked up beside her. "She was my first and only love."

"Was she your girlfriend?" April asked, curious to hear more.

"Yeah, we first met in junior high." Dare replied. "I wasn't totally into other girls then, I did have a boyfriend too. It wasn't anything serious, I was just curious to see what kissing a guy was like. Wasn't for me in the end…"

"Where is she now?" April asked. "Is she… dead?"

"Nah, she's still alive." Dare replied. "She's living in LA now, I think. The last I heard, she was a model or something, just like her mother."

"It must be difficult, staying with a somebody that you love that's on the other side of the country."

"Don't I know it?" Dare replied with a sad sigh. "We broke up when she accepted the modelling job. May was always headstrong; she'd never back down form an argument. That's why I loved her I guess, she was just like me."

April noticed another photo next to it. This time it was Dare, May and two other people. One was a guy with short blonde hair while the other was another redheaded girl.

"That's May and me with our best friends, Franklin and Rachel. He was the son of Mr Fantastic and the Invisible Woman of the Fantastic Four and she was the daughter of Cyclops and Phoenix of the X-Men. We were inseparable, until we all went our ways, that is. The last I heard, they were living in Florida."

"You've got a much more interesting life than me." April said. "I can't even remember my parents, or my friends, if I even had any."

"Why don't you ask Guardian to look in your head?" Dare asked. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

"I did think about it." April replied and was silent for a moment remembering her thought on that at one time. "But if I could remember my parents, it would just remind me of something that I lost." She hung her head slightly.

Dare squeezed her shoulder gently in comfort. "At least you've got the rest of us." She said. "We're your family now. Sure, it's messed up, but what family isn't?" Another small smile spread on April's face as she thought that over.

**After dinner-**

April and Dare had both finished their dinner, and they were stuffed. The cook bots had really outdone themselves that time, the meal was fantastic! They had lost count of how many courses there were. Some of the food wasn't even form Earth!

April got up with a bloated grunt. "Ohh, I shouldn't have ate that third helping of fudge cake."

"But it did look awfully appetising." Dare replied as she rubber her stomach. "Man, I have to ask Alfred for the recipe."

"I really have had a great time, Dare." April said. "You're wonderful company."

"No problem, kiddo." Dare replied with a wave of her hand. "And call me Karen, it is my name."

"Thanks for inviting me… Karen." April said with a shy smile. "Perhaps we could do this another time?"

"I'm counting on it." Dare replied as she stood up from the sofa.

There was then an uncomfortable silence as neither was sure how to say goodbye. Dare didn't want to scare April off by putting it on too string and April was afraid that she would be disappointing. They settled on a friendly hug.

"See you in the morning, okay?" Dare asked.

"Yeah, see you in the morning… Karen." April replied with a happy smile.

Dare gave her a little wave before closing the door. That just left April on her own. She gave a little squeal of excitement before putting her hands on her heart and sighing dreamily. "I think I'm in love…"

**TBC…**

**Next: Pain of the Immortals**

**Take a look at what being an immortal is like andthe team may learn more then they wanted to know.**


	19. Pain of the Immortals

**The New Exiles**

**By The Uncanny R-Man And Agent-G**

Shout Outs- 

Daveykins: Yeah I don't think he'd have a major problem, a bit of a surprise but after the shock he would be fine with it.

Winblades: Don't worry this is a PG-13 story so no detail sex scenes or anything mostly you might see some kissing and such. Of course not, that's one of the reasons Morph's such a fun character.

Janusi: Sorry wrong immortal I meant Guardian.

Ruby631: You can thank R-Man for that last chapter and yes I think immortality is hard you'll see why.

X-Over: Again wrong immortal, has everyone forgotten Guardian already?

Damn-my-name-was-taken: Okay we don't think just about sex, it is up there but we do think of other things. (varies from person to person what those are) Although I figure Van will go after the next pair of legs that will cross his path.

**Chapter 19: Pain of the Immortals**

**The Complex -Blink's Room-**

It was the early morning and Blink was just waking up, she looked over to the other side of her bed and saw a space but she heard the shower going and smiled to herself. She rolled onto her back and placed an arm behind her head holding the bed sheet up to her bare chest seeing as how she was naked under it, she looked and still saw their clothing over the floor. She had to admit it was nice being in a relationship again, okay that and after months of getting over Cal she was also had been getting the need for some sex too.

Well by how her new boyfriend Vincent had been for the past few days since they've been sleeping together she had to guess it had been awhile for him too, not that she was complaining. She stretched herself out enjoying the morning, for the past few months she noticed how the weather was basically the same and she looked it up and found that this place was close enough to the equator of this planet to give them a decent climate.

She also looked back on her life and realized with a smile on her face that things finally seemed to be looking up. She had gone from a living hell, to fighting a hopeless war, to being on a team with no end in sight for their little 'quest' for Timbroker but now _finally_ life seemed to be giving her and the others a break. She sighed and figured she might as well get up. She grinned at a thought that came into her head. Maybe she should see if Vince needed help washing up, or he could stick around and help her wash her back, for starters that is.

Else ware in the building the others were waking up, well most of them. Morph was getting some sleep since he and Rahne have a little fun last night before he got back and Heather and James were staying in as well, enjoying the married life.

August was in the personal kitchen in the residential section, which was just like a kitchen you'd find in anywhere else only this was used by the residents instead of asking for server bots or going to the dinning hall for food. April had came in along with a sleepy Jono while Dare was out for a morning run.

But the one they never saw in the mornings was Guardian. Normally that was because he rarely slept anymore, and didn't really need to eat for long periods it wasn't that he didn't need to, he did from time to time, only he could go weeks without sleep or food before he felt it. He had been up all night working on the Thunderbird problem and was nearing the end. He just could figure it out and he knew that only a few options remained and he would have to bring her into this…he didn't like the idea of bringing her in mainly due to her relationship and how complicated things would get for her alone was troubling.

He put down the work PADD onto his glass-like desk and rubbed his temples. He hated failure and he never liked it, mainly due to the fact that a few of the failures he had had taken the lives of so many he knew. He pushed those thoughts aside and leaned back in his chair and groaned while both hands covered his face. "Sir." Alfred the Complex AI winked into the room. "You really should take a break, and have you thought of taking a vacation sir?" He asked in his British accent.

"And do what?"

"I don't know…relax maybe? The last recorded time you ever took any time off was over ten years ago…it's not healthy sir."

"I know I know." He sighed. "Maybe I'll take a walk." He got himself out of his chair and walked out for nowhere in particular he just wanted to go for a breather.

**-Rec. Room-**

All the Exiles were in the Rec Room wondering what to do for the day. Heather was snuggling up to James, Blink's head was in Vince's lap as he stroked her hair, Morph and Jono were in comfortable chairs, Dare and April were sitting together in a love seat and August a lounging on a seat of her own too.

"So anyone got any ideas?" Morph asked. "Hey how about we swing by The Tender Loins?"

"What about Rahne?" August asked him.

"Oh right." Morph said. "I better call her and see if she would want to go too." Everyone rolled their eyes at that.

"I've been meaning to visit the other cities on this world." James said. "There's this Cyber City full of machines."

"Oh yeah." Jono said remembering reading about the other cities on this world. "That's the city run my AIs right? Well there are a few other cities I wanted to go to too."

"Yeah there's New Atlantis, Night City, Wasteland country, and a lot of other ones too." Dare spoke up counting them off on her fingers.

At that moment Guardian had walked in. He was going to see if there was anything to do to help him relax but didn't expect to see the entire team here. "I hope you all aren't bored." He said with a smile.

"No just trying to figure out what to do next." April said to him.

He smiled at that. 'Ah…youth.' He could barely remember what it was like to be like that again. "Well I'll leave you alone then."

"Hey man why take off. You never hang out with us." Morph said to him.

"I admit mate, we know next to nothing about you." Jono said sitting back in his chair.

"I'm new here and ever I would like to know more about you. I mean how long have you been at this for instance?" James asked him.

August was next with a question. "What about friends? I mean you got to have tons with all you do."

Guardian face fell and turned around. "You don't want to know." He said coldly and the Exiles sat up straighter.

"Come on." Blink asked him. "I think we deserve to know something about you. I mean we've been working for months, just open up."

He considered her words and knew that this wouldn't end until they got something. He was wondering just what he should tell them…but he decided that showing them was the only way. It was then that they would learn what kind of answers those questions had to them.

"Follow me." He simply said and they followed him into the secure areas of the North Tower. The areas that only he had access to. They walked down the corridors but these were smaller and more plain then the other halls of the Complex. They were more cold and impersonal.

They asked where they were going but he said nothing and they were all wondering what he was going to do. They came to a set of doors and punched in a code and it opened to a plain square room with only a set of devices. They were curved half circular devices with a strange glowing light and a control panel of some kind near them.

"Step inside the markers please." He said and they saw circles on the ground and they all took their positions and then he punched in a few commands. After a couple of seconds a humming was heard and three glowing circles appeared before them all, one behind them and suddenly a zoom like sound and they found themselves in a new room with identical devices.

"What the hell was that?" Dare asked.

"Inter-Dinemsional portal device. A type of transportation to a secluded spot on this world that only I go to." He pointed to a button on the control panel. "Hitting that red button is the return command." He said and walked to a flight of stairs.

They walked up the stairs and saw light at the end of the hall. When they emerged they found themselves on a giant circular marble floor in an open sky. When they looked up they found a glass dome overhead and around them were curved smooth walls with images carved into them that looked life like. There was a small eternal flame in front of a carved-out stone globe of Earth with what looked like a tomb of some kind in the centre in from of what looked like the main image.

"So…you all want to know about me." Guardian said evenly.

"I think we would like to know something about you." Blink said.

"Yeah man open up already, I mean we've known you for months but we know pretty much jack. What's your story?" Morph asked him.

Guardian nodded. "Very well." He sighed. "I am a Guardian, but before I received The Power, which is the source of my Guardian abilities I was a normal human at one point." He pointed to the stone Earth. "I got The Power just before a giant meteorite crashed into my Earth…I was the only survivor because of my immortality."

The others stood there looking at the Earth looking at the eternal flame and understood the meaning of that. He walked to the image up front of a man, a woman and two kids. "This is the mausoleum, these were my parents and brothers…dead of course." He walked to an image of a beautiful woman and a boy.

"This was Angela and Marcus…my wife and son."

"Oh God." Heather whispered which was pretty much the sentiment of the rest of the team. "They died on Earth too."

"No, actually I met my wife after that…you see I used to work for this organization called The Confederation. I won't bore you with the details but I met my wife there, we were both what you might call agents and we fell in love, married had a kid…I would have given it all up for her you know." He said sadly looking at the image of them.

"A Guardian can give up The Power and become mortal again…but she didn't want me to do that while both of us were still working. When both of us retired then I was going to give it up. She didn't want me to die…but she died on a mission…a few years later our son joined up trying to follow in our footsteps…he was killed." The others didn't know what to say about his loss.

"You see I wanted to bring them back but The Confederation has these laws, they have to approve of a resurrection."

"They didn't did they." James stated, he guessed from the sound of his voice that they didn't.

Guardian nodded. "Yeah…" He moved to an image of a woman that kind of looked like Tygra of the Avengers only without a tail, different hair and different stripes. "This was Kathea. She was this little Catharian girl whose parents were killed by this psycho calling himself Plague. He was a walking disease and she watched her parents die in front of her. I was sent to take him out and I did. She and I spent two days in decontamination because we might have picked something up."

"We got close and when we got out and social services came for her she clutched my leg so hard I thought it would go numb." He smiled at the memory. "I took her in…I remember how I adopted her and after three years…it was the first time…she called me daddy." A few tears fell from his eyes. "She was nine at the time and she just let it slip out. I called her over and she was going on about how sorry she was and everything…I just hugged her close and told her that she may not have been of my blood…but she was my daughter."

A few of the Exiles were moved by his words, they were full of emotion and they could see the love he must have had for the girl. "I watched her grow up, get married, have kids…and grow old…and…I was there when she died. I was there with her family in that hospital bed." He chocked back on the memory of his daughter. "She asked me to take her somewhere, to a lake I always used to take her, it was our private place and I teleported us all there. We were in time to see the sunrise and I held her…she…she looked out over the water and smiled. She told me she loved me and couldn't have asked for a better father…I…I said she was my pride and joy and was happy to have a daughter like her…then…she died in my arms." Guardian bowed his head. "I never went back to that lake after that…I…I just couldn't go back there…not after that."

A few of the Exiles were crying at the story. Heather was being held by James as she was remembering her own loss of her first husband, Blink, and Vince were thinking of their world and all they lost, Morph thought of Sunfire his best friend, April of the family she barely knew, Dare was thinking of what her life would be like without her parents. Jono thought of his lost friends in Gen-X.

Guardian wiped away the tears and gestured to the other two images of two young men. "These were two other children I took in. Korin a Saiyan." It showed a spiky hair boy with what looked like a monkey like tail around his waist. "The other was Ken a human boy I took off the streets. They were great boys and they did me proud. Ken died from old age and made me swear he wanted to live a life and not have me revive him no matter what…I am a man of my word…no matter how much it hurts. Korin died in battle like all Saiyans want to."

"Geez man…what about this?" Jono asked pointing to the crypt.

"That's for me for when I die…I want to be placed here." The immortal told them.

"But I thought you were…" April stared to ask him.

"Even Immortals can die April." He simply said and walked to an opening between the walls and they followed him they then saw a small area of grass filled with small white markers of some kind. The ones in front they could make out that they had a plaque with a name on it and some kind of crystal on top. He passes his hand over one of the crystals and images of a person and personal history of that person showed up on holographic screens.

"All of these…these are markers I've placed here…each one for someone I once knew. A friend, a loved one, someone I let get close to me." The Exiles could only stare out over the place. Mainly due to the fact there were thousands or tens of thousands it was too difficult to tell.

They all looked at all the markers and all the people he had known over his existence and no one could say anything. "I know the names of all of them, names of people that have died so long ago I'm the only one that ever knew they exist. In this way I tried to make sure that at least something of them existed through time, that they wouldn't have faded into nothingness as if they never existed."

"This is what it means to be immortal, this is our pain to watch all those we care about die. We live in constant pain. Either the pain of loneliness when we push everyone away, when we travel alone through time so we don't have to lose another person in our lives. But then when that pain becomes too much we allow ourselves to grow close to others and then as the pain of loneliness fades it's replaced by the pain of loss when those that are close to us start to die."

"Then when that gets too much we go back to being alone. We are in a constant state between the two. It never ends and I know that when all of you are long gone and there are markers for you here I'll be the only one that will one day know you existed." He said sadly. It was always something he knew what would happen. That those he knew would always die, he wasn't used to it and he was glad…if he ever got used to it then that would mean he had stopped caring. "Well…I hope this answers some of your questions." He said in a neutral tone.

"I…I didn't know…I-" James turned around but Guardian had vanished. The Exiles just stood there looking at all the marks. A few of them sat down the weight of all this seemed to crush them onto the ground. They all just looked out among all the people he had known and they couldn't help but feel sorrow for him.

"How?" Jono asked. "How can someone live like this?" He couldn't see himself living for as long as he must have and seeing all these people dieing.

"I don't know." Vincent said sitting on the ground. "I'm trying to put myself into his place, trying to see how he must feel but…"

"But you can't." Blink said who was sitting next to him. "I mean, losing your world, and your friends along the way. That I can understand…but all of this…my god." She shook her head looking out.

"No one could understand all of this." Morph said to them all. "It's impossible. I mean…" He shrugged. "I mean you can't really fully understand any of this unless you lived it."

"He's right." August said. "We've all lost someone to some degree. That first part of this place is more easier because some of us can relate to that, we can see that. But seeing all these people…it's like living our lives over and over seeing all those people we've seen and known dying all over and over again." She was holding herself trying to see what it would be like to see all her friends die over and over again but she couldn't. She just couldn't see it, or wanted to see it. It was too hard and too much to think about.

They all eventually sat there just looking out over all the markers in silence. After some time they left the same way they came but after that day they had a deeper understanding towards Guardian and they never saw him the same way again.

From that day forward they didn't see some strange immortal man of mystery. They saw a man who lived with something no one should and yet he still found the strength to go on. They had a deeper respect for him and any doubts they may have had were gone. He had opened up to them and for one moment they saw the man underneath all that mystery.

They saw a man in pain, a man who never seemed to give up and they knew that he wouldn't stop doing what he does because not only was it in his nature to never give up, but also because it was the one thing that would always be with him.

His work, his self appointed task to save others was the one thing he had in his life that would never fade away or leave him. It was also the one thing he only had left in his life.

**TBC… **


	20. Double Date with the Avengers

**The New Exiles  
By The Uncanny R-Man**

_**Disclaimer- **We only own our Ocs, Mayhem, August, Dare, Guardian and April._

**Shout Outs-**

Episodic: Really? I wanted to make a deep chapter here. Glad you liked the humor R-Man I think does that the best. We don't have anyone planned on dying that was one of the things I hated about Exiles they killed off/got rid off all the great characters.

Winblades: Yeah I really tried to show the down side to immortality, that everything comes with a price. I guess you might be right with that but I just wanted to add something in there to that effect.

Red Witch: Glad it got an emotional response out of you and glad to hear that.

Ruby631: Yeah I tried for deep and emotional this chapter.

X-Over: Yeah I went for the sad chapter this time around. X-Force? Do you mean Weapon X?

**DISCLAIMER: Read Uncanny R-Man's The Uncanny Avengers in the comic section under the Avengers (duh) and read up on it to get this chapter in more detail.**

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**Chapter 20: Double Date With The Avengers****  
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**The Complex-**

Jono was sitting in the Complex garden waiting for Erotica to turn up. He had offered to pick her up after work but she insisted on making her own way there, since she wanted to see the place for herself. So all Jono had to do was wait for his girlfriend to turn up. The pair was actually going on a double date with Morph and Rahne. Jono didn't know where they were even going, Morph said that he was making it up as he went along.

To be truthful, Jono was kind of dreading where their destination would be. Morph was still hell-bent on finding the planet of naked cheerleaders, no matter how many times Guardian said that it didn't exist.

Jono shook his head with a little chuckle; Morph really didn't have any shame.

**Rahne's home dimension-**

Morph was waiting in the main hall of the Hellfire Club headquarters. He had just dropped in to pick up Rahne for their double date with Jono and Erotica.

Morph strolled around the hall looking at the paintings on the walls. Unsurprisingly for a place like the Hellfire Club, most of the pictures were of Rahne in various states of undress.

"Man, who'da thought that the meek little girly-girl that had a crush on Cannonball would end up to be such an exhibitionist." Morph thought out loud. Then he cocked his head as he studied yet another picture. "I wonder if you can get prints of these…?"

"I see that yuir admirin' my art collection." Rahne said as she walked down the stairs in her usual black and tight fitting uniform. "I had Kitty's White Bishop paint me."

"Man, Colossus is one lucky Russian." Morph nodded.

Several visits previous, Rahne had introduced Morph to the White Queen. Far from being Emma Frost, who Morph was expecting it to be, the White Queen of Rahne's Hellfire Club was Kitty Pryde, the former X-Woman known as Shadowcat. Rahne decided to keep the White branch of the Hellfire Club, as she needed to have a trustworthy leader to look after the club while she was away on business.

Just as Rahne had her Black Rooks and Bishops, Kitty had her White Rooks and Bishops too. Piotr Rasputin and Pete Wisdom were her Bishops while Kurt Wagner and Alistaire Stuart were her White Rooks.

"I dinnae suppose yuir goin' tae tell me where we're goin', are ye?" Rahne asked. "It's nae to the Playboy Mansion _again_, is it?" Placing her hands on her hips.

"And I thought you liked it there." Morph pouted. "You seemed pretty comfy with Miss April. Is there something you wanna tell me?"

"Nope." Rahne replied. "I jus' appreciate the female form as much as I do the male."

Morph just let that slide and used the recall device to teleport the pair back to the Complex. Although he did make a mental note to explore that further.

**Teleporter room-**

Once Erotica had arrived in a simple pink T-shirt and cut off jean shorts, the Pamela Anderson look-a-like was ready for her date with her boyfriend. She and Jono made their way to the teleporter room, while he showed her around on the way there; she was amazed at the place. Soon they got to where they would be meeting Morph and Rahne.

"I see everybody is ready." Guardian said as he saw the quartet walk in. "Any idea where you wish to go today?"

"I thought that we'd just blag our way through." Morph replied. "Go where the teleporter takes us."

"Are you sure that is wise?" The Guardian asked concernedly. "You might end up in trouble." Even though the really nasty realities were locked out, they still could end up in some major trouble anyway.

"I guess you could just select a reality that doesn't need saving." Jono said. "Y'know, kind of keep it a surprise."

"I have just the place in mind…" Guardian said as he gave April a nod. The young gravity-manipulating mutant nodded in reply and tapped a destination into the teleporter controls.

"I trust you have money?" Guardian asked them.

"Sure do, boss man." Morph replied as he flashed some dollar bills. "I took the liberty of having Alfred change some credits for me."

"That was insightful of you." Guardian said but then smiled. "But how do you know that you're going to end up in the States?"

"Statistical probability." Morph shrugged since most of the time that was were they ended up most of the time during his entire life as an Exile.

With that, the quartet stepped onto the teleporter in preparation for their journey.

**Avengers Complex, Malibu, California, Reality 616.5 (aka, the URM-Verse)-**

The West Coast Avengers were holding a beach party on the stretch of beach near their home. There wasn't really any cause for celebration; it just seemed a pity not to hold a beach party when you have your own private beach.

Hawkeye was in charge of the barbeque while Quicksilver and Crystal were paddling with Luna in the sea, who was happy to have her mom and dad on talking terms again. Tigra, Firestar, Copycat and Namorita were dancing while Mayhem, Justice and the others were just sitting around and talking.

"Man, does Tigra ever sit down?" Justice asked as he saw the weretiger bump and grind with the two former New Warriors.

"Not since I've ever known her." Songbird replied.

"And you've known her for just how long?" Maddie asked, a cheeky smile spreading on her lips.

Songbird just rolled her eyes at the redheaded telepath and looked out to sea. Beside her, Ant-Man noticed something in the distance. "Hey guys, is it me or did four people just materialize out of nowhere?"

The rest of the team joined him and peered into the distance, it did seem that four people were standing in the distance.

"You think it's an attack?" Tigra asked. "Should we go kick their butts?"

**Several yards away-**

Morph and the others materialized near a swanky-looking beach house on a cliff overlooking the Californian coastline.

"Man, I must admit this, Guardian certainly knows how to pick 'em." Morph said as he looked around as he was now in a Hawaiian shirt and shorts, looking like a tourist.

"Perhaps I should've brought my swimming gear." Erotica said looking at the lovely beach.

"I guess we could always go skinny-sipping." Rahne replied as a cheeky grin spread across her face. Morph just chuckled evilly, remembering how the last time the team got to a beach they went native while he was send on an errand, he got back at them though.

"So what we gonna do now?" Jono asked, glad he didn't bring his leather coat this time; he would have been dying in that thing, although the black jeans and long shirt weren't helping matters. "Go searching for bars?"

"Perhaps we could answer that for ya, buddy?" A mysterious voice asked behind them. The quartet spun around and saw that they were surrounded by the West Coast Avengers.

"Oh man…he's going to freak when he hears about this." Jono said noticing a certain member of the other team.

Erotica looked around nervously at her friends getting ready for a fight, she might have been out of the hero thing for a couple of years but she was still good enough when it counts. "This kinda stuff happen to you guys a lot?"

"Well it happened a heck of a lot in the X-Men." Rahne replied thinking back to her old younger days. "It seemed that we were having a _team up_ with other heroes every other week."

Morph, taking the role of the leader, stepped forward to try to calm the situation. "Okay, before we get to the clichéd superhero team up-slash-fight, don't you think we could talk y'know, as a change of pace?"

"You guys seem legit enough." Hawkeye replied, still not totally sure whether the new arrivals were on their side or not. "Follow us inside but, if you make even one little wrong move, I'll have Maddie transplant one of her best home-made nightmares into your head, okay?"

"You got it." Morph nodded as he led Jono and the girls into the beach house.

On their way into the house, Rahne cast a cautious look back at Maddie. "Umm, no offence or anythin' but, weren't ye dead and…evil?"

"I got better." Madelyn Pryor the clone of Jean Grey replied nonchalantly. "I'm a redhead, coming back from the dead comes naturally to us."

**Later-**

After Morph had told the Avengers the low-down on the Exiles and their job, rescuing realities in danger and stuff, Hawkeye let them have the run of the beach house, albeit cautiously.

Erotica was in the kitchen searching for a cold drink when she heard somebody walk in beside her. She turned around and saw Justice and Ant-Man standing in the doorway.

"Go on man, you ask her." Ant-Man hissed.

"Geez, for the token brainy guy you sure act like a horny teenager." Justice sighed.

"Anything I can help you guys with?" Erotica asked as she snagged herself a beer.

"Umm, we were wondering…" Justice began. "Are you Pamela Anderson…?"

Erotica just smiled at them, she heard this a few times and she did like Miss Anderson. "No I'm not." She replied. "I do like her work and stuff and I lover he animal rights program but I've never taped myself having se with a rock star either, before you ask."

Justice and Ant-Man both cursed under their breath as that meant that they had missed out on meeting their favourite Baywatch girl. "So what do you do then?" Justice asked getting a drink.

"I'm an ex-super hero/secret agent. I sort of retired from that." She replied taking a sip of her drink.

"And now?" Scott Lee, AKA Ant-Man asked.

"Exotic Dancer." She said simply as Justice coughed out his drink.

**Meanwhile-**

While Erotica grabbed herself a drink with the boys, Jono was sitting on the beach chatting with the Avengers, they were curious as to what their counterparts were like.

"You guys said that you work with a different version of Vince, right?" Tigra asked. "What's he like? Just out of curiosity, you'll understand."

Jono snickered a he saw the looks the weretiger was giving the Canadian mutant. Either Vince didn't return Tigra's feelings or he didn't even realise how she felt about him. 'Some things never change no matter in what reality.' He thought thinking of how long it took him to open up to Blink.

"Well, our Vince isn't as fun as happy as your guy." Jono replied. "I guess that's kinda understandable seein' what his reality was like."

"What was my, uh… his reality like?" The other Vincent asked.

"I wasn't actually in the team when we recruited him." Jono replied. "But from what they told me, his reality was pretty much ruled by Sentinels and almost every person was wiped out. Vince was one of the only survivors."

Vincent just stared at the ground as he took all of the information in.

"Hey Vince, you alright?" Namorita asked as she put a companionable hand on his shoulder.

"Just a little shocked I guess." Vincent replied. "What about…what about my friends back in Toronto? I mean did we have the same people in our lives?"

Jono looked at him in sympathy. "Let me guess…Father Michaels, Mary, Benny and Mr. Ryu Kansuke to name a few right?" Vince nodded. "Sorry mate…they didn't make it in his reality I'm told."

Vince looked like someone had kicked him in the stomach, he couldn't imagine living without them or at least having all of them die on him. "The last time we heard of the Sentinels here was back when Genosha was destroyed. I'm pretty glad that they've all been deactivated now."

"At least until the next anti-mutant nut job comes along." Copycat for former female villain who was trying to turn her life around had added.

"But most of the Sentinels those freaky Human Supremacist guys have nowadays are those crappy old versions." Firestar the redheaded fire powered mutant said. "Y'know, from the pre-Operation: Zero Tolerance days." She like many mutants didn't like talking about Sentinels, they were the one thing all mutants feared and hated most of all in the world.

"Man, what was up with that Bastion guy?" Jono asked, he had firsthand knowledge of the guy. Okay, it was actually second-hand after Jubilee told him about her capture in the Hulk Buster Base.

"I know." Justice added, he had walked in on them just as the Sentinel talk started up. "He sucked! If you want a sinister psycho robot guy, give me Ultron any day. Hey, did I ever tell you about the time when I beat Ultron on my own?"

The rest of the Avengers groaned loudly as they had heard the story all before.

**Back in the beach house-**

Morph had finished getting changed into some suitable swimwear. The Avengers had been kind enough to give Morph and Rahne some spare swimsuits, so they decided to hit the hot tub.

Morph had just snagged a bottle of champagne and was looking for his girlfriend. However, as soon as he reached the hot tub, he couldn't find any sign of the Scots werewolf.

"Rahne, you out here?" Morph asked as he looked around. "I got bubbly. You wanna do that bit form American Pie…? 'Cept without the peeing."

Once again there was no answer. Morph sighed and sat down on the edge of the hot tub. He then noticed that his foot touched something silky. He looked down and saw a low-cut crimson swimsuit lying on the floor.

"Okay Rahne, I know it's you." Morph said. "As much as I like to be stalked by naked wolf chicks, this is kinda freaking me out."

There was a brief rustling behind some nearby bushed and Morph spun around to look.

"Rahne…?" He asked a little fearfully. "That you?"

As if in reply, a wolf leapt from the bush and knocked Morph back into the hot tub in a splash of bubbly water. "Oh yeah, real mature." Morph sighed as he looked at the wolf sitting on his lap. "Now you're gonna smell."

The wolf almost seemed to glare at him as it began to change back into Rahne, albeit a naked Rahne. "Ye seem tae like it." Rahne said as a wolfish smile graced her lips.

"Well, I do have a hot, naked redhead straddling me in a hot tub." Morph replied. "What's not to like?"

"That's the attitude laddie." Rahne growled sexily as she nibbled on Morph's earlobe. "Tell me somethin', you ever done it in a hot tub?"

A lecherous smile spread on Morph's face as he kissed her neck.

"Can't say that I have, no."

"Perhaps we could do somethin' tae remedy that." Rahne said as her eyes twinkled lustily and trailed kisses down Morph's chest.

**Later-**

The Avengers were bidding their guests goodbye. Jono had his arm around Erotica while Morph had another of those dazed looks on his face while Rahne just had a cheeky smile on her face.

"It was certainly nice meeting you guys." Vincent said. "Tell me that I said hi, okay?"

"Umm, okay…" Jono replied. "I think that our Vince'll be freaked that he's a member of the Avengers.'

"And that a certain weretiger keeps on making eye at him." Rahne added.

Vince turned to Tigra, who just smiled innocently.

"Oh my, is that the time? I must be off to bed. Byeeee!"

**TBC…

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_**Next: Darksider**_

_**The Exiles meet up with their first encounter with a Darksider, and it might be their last.**_


	21. Darksider

**The New Exiles**

**By The Uncanny R-Man And Agent-G**

Shout Outs- 

TheLegendaryManHimself: Yes they are but that what's makes Rahne and Morph work so well. Hey how would you act with someone that looked like Pamela Anderson?

Episodic: Yeah I know but she might be back soon. Also we wanted to make a lighter chapter just for fun, kind of like that comic when they went to the nude beach remember? Anyways your lust for violence will be answered here…and then some.

Ruby631: Well that sucks, try lowering your privacy setting again on your Internet Explorer. Yes she is but I think Morph likes that about her and it was more of a hint to this episode of Angel then Azazel.

X-Over: Darksiders are fallen Guardians, they are people who were consumed by The Power and turned evil. Think dark jedi of the Guardians and you get the idea.

Red Witch: Thanks and you really liked that idea? Well I might but I'm not sure if I got the time for it…but we'll see whoever gets down with it first can tackle it just give me a heads up if you are going to try it and I don't have it up.

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**CHAPTER 21: DARKSIDER**

The entire team of the Exiles were currently on another world, but that's nothing new, only this wasn't an Earth world. They were went to stop the Dark Circle from a coup de tat on the local government and replace them with a warmonger of a leader. Well it took some doing and thanks with the universal translators in the recall devices they were able to stop the conspiracy and currently they were in the middle of the capital city being honoured.

The city had buildings with no right angles and the people were four armed and blue skinned. "Man a guy could use to this." Morph said to the others.

"Yeah I mean it's nice to be appreciated for what we do you know?" Heather said as the leader was still making a speech. "After all the crap we went through with Timebroker and even though Guardian has been great to us it's just nice to have people appreciate what we do every now and then." As the leader was making a closing speech however there was screaming from the audience and to the horror of everyone there, people were suddenly being set on fire.

The people ran and screamed as the crowd parted they saw a figure walk towards them. He wore black armour. He seemed thin and his dark blue skin had purple highlights and green eyes. He only had two arms and a mane of long white hair. He stopped before them and laughed as the people ran and he saw the Exiles. "You know I came here looking for some fun and it looks like I found it." He eyed them carefully. "Hmm, a couple of you are stronger then most, but not me. And I must admit a few of the females are nice looking too."

"Who the hell are you?" Blink demanded at this man who just butchered so many innocent people as the rest of the team got ready for a fight. "Another lackey of the Dark Circle?"

"Please." He sneered. "I work for no one, I am an agent of chaos and where I go, death and destruction follows."

"Well not this time!" Blink yelled out and got a few lances ready. "Exiles shake, rattle and rock and roll!" She gave out the command to one of the attack patterns they used. Vincent, August and Heather after transforming, leaped onto the ground sending a seismic attack by smashing the ground. Normally this would have unbalanced anyone but he wasn't affected.

April made gravity well around their attacker and James fired an energy blast from his suit, a new addition he made to it since he joined up but nothing happened. He just smiled at them. "I do hope that wasn't your best."

Vindicator flew forward and punched him in the face but he only moved his head and grabbed James. Suddenly an electrical charge was sent into his suit and he screamed in pain as his suit started to burn him from electricity and Heather looked on in horror and ran forward trying to save her husband. "Leave him alone!" She shouted out and he dropped James but at the last moment an energy beam from his hands shot out and went through her stomach. She fell to the ground holding the wound hoping she didn't bleed to death before her body healed.

The other Exiles went in next as Blink, Dare and April tried to help their friends. "August, double whammy?"

"Oh yeah, I love that move." She replied and both of them took a run at him and both put all their strength into a punch. But to their shock he caught both arms easily and they couldn't break free. He just grinned at them and jumped up slightly and kicked out at their knees.

Both pairs of kneecaps broke and each one had one leg bent back at an impossible angle and both cried out in pain. Then he twisted their arms and broke the bones in their forearms. August was cradling her arm in pain tears falling from her face and Vincent wasn't doing much better but years of pain gave him a higher pain threshold and he managed to move his good arm into position and blasted him in the face.

His face was a little singed and he looked pissed at Mayhem. "That…wasn't nice." He walked over and quickly sent a fist into the Canadian's face and a sickening sound was heard as he fell unconscious. There was blood coming out of his ear and nose and his jaw was at an odd angle. Morph saw this and he knew his friend was hurt bad by that, maybe even a fractured skull but the fact that this guy did that in one punch scared him to no end.

But he wouldn't stand by for this. "Alright you jerk, take a piece out of this!" Morph shouted and flew towards him. The man just looked uninterested in Morph and then lashed out and two energy disc like things came towards him he tried to dodge but they were too fast and was cut into several pieces as he hit the ground and saw one of his arms in front of his face he groaned. "Not again…"

Jono had been firing his energy blast at this guy and he hadn't seemed to notice at all. He tried a mental assault but suddenly was on the receiving end of the worse migraine in history of all of creation as a mental assault more powerful then anything he ever experienced slammed into his brain. His ears, nose and eyes started to bleed and he fell to the ground groaning from the pain he felt.

Blink looked around and her heart was sinking, her team was being taken apart. She reached for the PADD but before she pulled it out to send out an emergency transport their adversary was suddenly behind her and grabbed her hair and punched her spine right at the hip. She screamed out and heard a breaking sound and she lost the use of her legs. She tried to move them but couldn't and to her horror couldn't feel her legs and knew her spine was broken.

"I don't want any of you running off." He said coldly into her ear holding her up by her hair. "Besides I want to have some fun with you later." He dropped her to the ground onto her face and she looked up in time to see him move to the Dare and April the last members.

Dare sneered at this freak and jumped in but he moved so fast and suddenly caught her head in both hands. "Such a pretty eye, but with only one you look a little lacking in the face, let me fix that." And with one of his thumbs jabbed it into her remaining eye. Dare screamed knowing she was now blinded for life like her father but the pain of his thumb was pure hell.

"Leave her alone!" April cried out and tried to crush this person and he fell to his knee and let Dare go who pressed her hand to her wound, if Dare had an eye she would be crying tears instead of crying blood from her face. April was angry beyond belief and tried to crush the life out of this monster that was killing her friends. He looked up at her and grinned and licked his lips. "I think I'll take you first, you got spirit girl." And he vanished.

April looked around for him and he reappeared right in front of her and he grabbed her head. "You know mentally assaulting a person is much more gratifying at times then just the physical kind, but I think I'll do both." With that he started to tear into her mind, April screamed in pain and she was forced to live her most painful and horrible moments of her life again. She saw her parents getting killed by men in combat suits and of the experiments and the beatings they gave out and of seeing what he had done to Dare over and over again.

"Let her go!" Dare screamed out hearing April's pain.

"I'll get to you later." He said.

**-THE COMPLEX-**

Guardian was in a meditation temple in the garden, it was a recreation of a small Buddhist mediation chamber with a small area fill with sand. He had been meditation in peaceful quietness when he felt it. His eyes snapped open and his eyes were a strange glowing blue and he saw it, he saw the Exiles fighting an opponent that they couldn't win against. "A Darksider…oh no." He whished out and in a blur he had disappeared and reappeared in the teleportation room. He was a blur of moment as he got a lock on every member of the team and transported him or her back.

When he saw their condition when they returned he feared for them. "Alfred medical emergency!" He transported them right to the infirmary and went to meet the Doc there. They both called in medical droids and began to patch them up as best they could; critical cases were done first as droids patched up the not as serious ones. Morph was putting himself back together but he said it would take at least an hour for his body to fuse together properly.

James was peeled out of his suit and was placed in a healing chamber immediately; it would take three days for him to heal up with no scaring. April was holding Dare as the other woman had a medical patch over her newly lost eye. April was shaken up but was being there for her friend trying to comfort her. Guardian took a glance; he once offered her a medical procedure for either a cybernetic or biologically grown eye replacement but he guessed she would want two now.

Vincent needed surgery for his skull fracture and then placed in a healing tank for two days. Blink has medical nanites were repairing her damaged spine and would most likely walk after thirty hours. She was looking longingly at her team, and her heart broke seeing them like this and seeing her boyfriend was being led to the healing tank room.

August's arm was reset but her kneecap had to be replaced. Vincent's body was stronger then hers so his only broke. August's kneecap was shattered and a prosthetic was put in its place. Jono was out cold and more medical nanites were undoing any damage to his brain and he hoped there wouldn't be any permanent brain damage.

Heather had to have the bleeding stopped and place in a healing tank next to James. After three hours the entire team was asleep from the anaesthetic he used on them. Guardian just sat in a chair looking at them, he knew they were lucky and that it could have been worse but damn it he should have seen this!

Okay he wasn't perfect but he brought them together and what happened to them was his responsibility and there was going to be hell to pay for this. He shot up from his chair, his jaw clenched as his rage over this building up. The Doc saw him and was concerned. "Where are you going?"

"To the Armoury." He snapped. He made his way to the Armoury and got what he needed. A black combat suit that was a tight fit and jacket. It was made from altering the molecular density making it tougher then it looked. He wouldn't need any of the projectile weapons; those would be useless so he grabbed a Katana. This however was made from a metal almost as strong as adamantium and laser sharpened so the edge was the width of a molecule and could cut through almost anything. He placed is over his back and marked to the teleporter room and grabbed a recall device. He knew he would be too weak to make a personal portal back here.

He got the teleporter set up and stepped onto the platform and soon in a flash of white light he was in the city they had fought in. Only how the place was in ruins and bodies were everywhere, he reached out and sensed no life anywhere. "No…" He whispered out at all the dead and destruction.

Then he heard laughter and turned to see the Darksider there on a pile of bodies laughing at him. "A Guardian, so are you a wonderer or one of those little Confederation errand boys?" He responded with an energy blast at him and with blinding speed slammed a fist into the Darksider's chest sending him through a wall of a building. "Right…definitely not a Confederation boy." He muttered, but then Guardian was on him again and the two titans battled it out.

Their battle was faster then the eye could track and with no one left alive Guardian didn't have to hold back. The destruction was devastating, buildings seemed to just explode or crumpled, flashes of light followed by giant explosions and what seemed like earthquakes. At one point the sky was literally seemed to be on fire.

But as the two fought on a satellite had been placed in orbit, since that world didn't have the technology for that it wasn't of that world. The Dark Circle put it there and as the battle raged on the members of the evil group watched the battle safely from their chamber. There was much hope that this would put an unexpected but hopeful end to the Exiles and that Guardian of theirs.

But there was one member of the group that wanted to finish this himself. He had suffered several humiliations at that Guardian's hands and he wanted to pay him back. So he quietly exited the chamber and decided to go to that world and wait for a victor if the Darksider lost then his prey would be too weakened to do anything to stop him.

Back at the city, which looked more like ruins then a city, the two fighters were currently taking a break. Both were bloodied, battered and hurting. Guardian already lost his sword his opponent had caught the blade in both hands and snapped it. Adam threw the blade aside and went in with just his fists and feet.

"You're a lot better then I thought." The Darksider said through panting breaths. He grinned at Adam. "For a human that is, I haven't had a decent challenge in decades."

Adam didn't replay he knew the kind of stuff someone like him did. It was also his greatest fear that one day he might lose it and The Power would corrupt him into a Darksider, even though he didn't know this alien personally he knew that when most people receive The Power they are usually Guardians at first. The Power wasn't good or evil; it was the person that wielded it that was good or evil.

The fact that at one point this man was most likely a good person driven insane by his life gave way to a bit of pity inside the Guardian. He knew friends who had fallen to the dark path and in a few cases had to stop them. Some went insane with grief or couldn't take immortality anymore or they saw things that weighted them down until they couldn't take it anymore.

But he had to end this fight, he couldn't let him leave and bring more destruction. After what he did to his team and to the people here…he was going to kill him. He had been a soldier a few times, he knew that in battle it was kill or be killed and facing his dark opponent he was fine with that.

He drew his hands to his waist in a V shape and gathered his Ki energy. "KA-ME-HA-MEEEEEEEEE-HA!" She shouted out and a large bust of energy from the Kamehameha beam wave attack he had learned from an old friend fired out obliterating the ground leaving a large groove on the ruined streets. It came at such a speed the Darksider couldn't move and through his hands out to catch the energy.

He was able to resist the energy and push it back for soon it was too much the Darksider was being pushed back now and his hands were burning from the energy. Then his arms failed and he was engulfed in the light. When it was over Adam saw the charred remains of the Darksider and then a blue glow over the body. He saw The Power leave the corpse and shoot out into the sky. He knew that now someone else would have The Power, most likely a new Guardian being born. "Where one falls another shall rise." He said to himself it was an old saying of the Guardians about how when someone with The Power falls it seeks out a new person the wield it.

Unfortunately because of his weakened state and the blood falling over his right eye blinding him he didn't notice he had company until it was too late. Mainly by sword being thrown at him with such force it not only impaled him in the chest and the other end going through his body, he was sent flying into a wall and was stuck on it. "ARRRRRG!" He looked down at the golden handle sticking out of his chest.

"Well this is going to be oh so easy." Adam turned his head knowing that voice. He turned to see Vorn, the weakest of the Dark Circle. He was all in steel armour with a unique style. His yellow cat-like eyes were filled with hatred and this short spiky dark purple hair had this long braid down the side of his face. "You have no idea how long I've waited for this." He spat and ripped the handle of the sword. "Can't have you pulling that out now, can we?"

He looked down at the metal blade in his chest as Vorn was ranting on and on about something, he really didn't care mainly because he wasn't listening. He had turned his back and Adam grinned knowing that was going to be his last mistake. With what little power he had left he concentrated on the broken blade and it started to move, he winced as it slowly moved out of his chest and he looked back at the gloating man.

"You know what one of your major weaknesses are Vorn? You talk to much." The blade came free from his chest and shot out towards Vorn. When he turned his eyes widened and was in time to see the blade just before it decapitated him.

The Guardian Adam fell to the ground tired and hurt bad. The Power was the only thing keeping him alive and he was close to death and he knew it. He tried reaching for the Recall Device but he found it missing. "Damn it! I must have lost it in the fight." He groaned out weakly. His only hope was for his body to heal and him to recharge enough to open a portal back to the Complex. He also hoped nothing else came his way because in this state he was too vulnerable.

At the camber of the Dark Circle they had watched as one of their own had fallen. "I always knew he was week." One of the voices said.

"But we have an opportunity now don't we?" The leader of the council said. "Isn't that satellite have a beam canon on it?" The other members of the council grinned and a few laughed. Overhead in space the satellite opened a hatch and a long barrel weapon came out. It charged up and when it was ready fired a blue energy beam to the surface of the planet.

Guardian who had been staring up into the sky as the world was falling into night saw what he thought was the first star out but it was getting too bright for a star. "Perfect." He muttered knowing an energy weapon blast when he saw one.

Judging by the looks a pretty big one, even if he could move which he couldn't since he had been trying there was no way to get out of the way and he was too weak to teleport. Normally not one to give up but he had no options. "So…this is how it ends huh?" He whispered to himself looking up at the growing light of death. "I've seen worse ways to go." He saw it nearing now and knew he only had a sew seconds left.

"Where one falls…another shall take their place…" He finally said, the saying of the Guardians and in the next second the beam and nothing obliterated the area he had been in but a crater stood after the dust settled. No one would know on that world what had happed to the people in the nearby city or how it seemed just one day they all vanished along with the city, although in a few centuries they would find the ruins.

Nor would anyone know how a crater was in the area, many would theorize that a meteor crashed and destroyed the city, but they would never know the events of that day or of what really happened. And they wouldn't know that a Guardian had been there or watched the sky seeing his own death come to him from the heavens.

* * *

**NEXT UP CHAPTER 22: RECOVERY**


	22. Recovery

**The New Exiles**

**By The Uncanny R-Man And Agent-G**

Shout Outs- 

TheLegendaryManHimself: Yeah that's where I was going with The Power, like a supped up version of the Force and you'll see what became of Guardian.

Winblades: I guess you're just going to have to see what's going to happen.

Episodic: I figure it would, and I tried for a DBZ style fight since those fights are major and I love watching them. Yeah the good guys don't always win and they'll have to pick up the pieces. You really know a guy names Adam who is like that…that is weird.

Ruby631: Just read on and you'll like what had happened. Everyone will have to heal both physically and emotionally from that fight.

X-Over: I think you got a little confused. First off that Darksider _wasn't _working for the Dark Circle and that guy was killed and technically the DC only attacked Guardian, not the Exiles.

Aaron: Yeah I wanted to shake things up a little and remind the team that sometimes they do lose.

Booyah: I'm not familiar with Warhammer sorry but no, we already got the next few members planned out.

Red Witch: I have no idea how I'm going to top it, I honestly don't. Doesn't mean I won't try I do love a challenge now and then

* * *

**CHAPTER 22: RECOVERY **

**-The Complex-**

In the green tank of the healing tank in the intensive care unit of the Complex a body floated in the liquid helping the person to heal. There was a long scar on the chest and battle damage all over the body including burns on the face, front and arms and legs of the body but those were slowly healing. The hair was also singed off and the person was barely alive.

The Doc, the holographic medical expert looked over his patient and Alfred the other transparent holographic figure that represented the Complex AI looked at the person in the tank. "I'm glad you managed to pull him out at the last second. Any longer and he would have been killed." The Doc said to his counterpart.

"I wish it had been sooner, he was barely alive when we got him back and that energy blast was close enough to burn him pretty badly." The AI said feeling horrible about how their creator was like this. It was times like this he wished he didn't have emotional programming.

"Still you it was a good idea to keep an eye on his vitals through the Recall Device." Doc was trying to make his friend and 'brother' as it were to feel better. Since they both had the same creator, even though his program was originally from Starfleet he had been reprogrammed into a new and improved AI.

"Yes, well when I lost the signal I used the quantum scanner to find life forms. His was the only signal and when I found that giant energy spike I decided to pull him out." Alfred thought back to when the Guardian named Adam was brought back and he was bleeding and burnt pretty badly. He had been rushed to the medical area and thrown in a healing tank as soon as possible. He had already been in it for five days and things were looking up, but he still hadn't regained consciousness.

Alfred found himself feeling very stressed. The thought of his creator the person responsible for his very existence dying was unsettling. He knew it might happen but to actually go through it was tough. The Doc was also feeling the strain but his medical programming helped him to deal with it more. "How is the rest of the team holding up?" He asked hoping to change the subject a little.

Alfred sighed, or gave the impression since he didn't breath. "They're…healing. At least emotionally now."

**Elsewhere-**

Blink was in the look out tower looking over the ocean. She had been thinking lately of their latest defeat. It had been so long since they had felt a blow like this, working for Guardian and all the success she realized made her forget that you can't win all the time. In fact the last time they had been beaten that badly was against Hyperion. That man was too powerful and they only beat him by luck. She remembered him looming over her and tried to burn her to death with that heat vision thing of his but she made a small portal and it came out behind him at his spine paralysing him.

She snorted at that. How ironic since she had been paralysed but the medical technology here saved her from being that permanently. She knew that her team had been out classed and there was no way they could have won, but still it was _her_ team. She was supposed to look after them and care for them. Seeing her team beat up like that was hard to take. It was times like this that she doubted herself. In fact she was sure everyone was. Everyone for the past few days had been quiet and kept to themselves.

Vincent had either been in the training rooms or brooding alone. She was sure he felt helpless and weak after that. Being the most powerful of the team and he was taken out so quickly was a blow to his confidence and to his honour she guessed. She knew he had this thing for looking out for others and protecting them, but not being able to protect his team was a hard hit for him.

Considering how much he lost she couldn't blame him. She knew she would have to talk to him about not beating himself up, and he would do that same for her and boy did she need his support. But for the moment…she'll just continue beating herself up a little longer.

Vincent was in a training room going at a punching bag. He was wearing a grav belt to increase the gravity he was feeling to not only give all his muscles a great workout but also it was harder to move like he was in water. It also made sure his blows didn't go right though the punching bag or send it flying into a wall. He was sweating and bare from the chest up.

He still had all his scars even though the Doc said he could removed them, they were a part of him for so long they were just as a part of him like his arms or legs. His body strained and sweating, he put everything into a punch and cried out in pain and held his arm. He had pulled another muscle.

He'd been doing that a lot lately. He kept pushing himself to his limits and then beyond them. Pushing his body beyond its limitations. He knew that the Doc would chew him out for this again but he needed to improve to become stronger. He wouldn't let the others down like he had; he would be able to protect his friends the next time. This wasn't just a matter of pride for him, but of honour.

That and the last time he had been weak he had spent three long horrid years in a living hell as an experiment. He swore that he would never be weak again after he escaped and learned of his abilities. But now…now he felt weak for the first time since he was a child…and he didn't like that feeling.

**The garden-**

Morph was sitting out in the garden also brooding. He considered going to see Rahne to cheer him up but he didn't want to worry her about what had happened. Although he was tempted, seeing his team like this didn't put him in the mood. That and even though their relationship wasn't exactly normal, he was finding that he cared for her. In fact the last thoughts he had before blacking out was about her and how he never would see her again, he thought he was with her just because of the sex, but it was more then that too.

She was someone he could relate to and seemed to be on the same wavelength with. And he knew someone like that didn't come around very often, and that he was happy with her too. He was wondering just how long it had been since he started to feel this way about her when Jono interrupted

his thoughts when he sat down in a chair near him.

"Hey, how ya holding up mate?" The British mutant asked him.

Morph shrugged. "About the same I guess…I thought Erotica would have been here when she heard you were injured?"

Jono shrugged. "Never told her…I…Didn't want to worry the bird. I know she gets scared at times when I go on these missions but she doesn't say so. Since she knows what it's like and all."

"You going to see her?"

"Later tonight, I just need to see her now ya know? I mean at least Doc gave me a clean bill of health although the memories of that fight are a little jumbled and I can't seem to remember anything in my life until I was eight."

Morph's face fell. "Oh man…You lost that much?"

Jono nodded. "It could have been much worse the Doc told me, I could have been killed or in a permanent coma like Thunderbird." He saw Morph wince at Thunderbird's name, he knew that he and Blink went to him every now and then and just talked. "Sorry mate I didn't mean anything by it."

"I know…" Although on the inside he wondered if his old friend would ever wake up and he was having doubts that he ever would. They still hadn't told TJ and was wondering if they should. It might be easier on her if they didn't tell her, sometimes ignorance was bliss. Beside she was trying to make a new life for herself and after everything he knew she didn't need this hanging over her head.

**Haven City-**

August was on her way to see someone. She had been thinking about this for sometime but she kept on ignoring it and was hoping it wasn't true. But after nearly dying she realized that she had a second chance and was too scared to try it. But he had to get this out of her. She was in a vehicle on her way to Haven City. Luckily she and the others had taken driving lessons for a few of the vehicles and she was currently flying over the forest and soon found the city in the distance.

She was nervous as hell but she needed to tell him. Her right knee was now better even though she knew her kneecap was now fake, a synthetic it felt real enough. She was just lucky a few of the others got it worse. She flew the slim silver vehicle through the sky lanes and landed it on a street outside of a large building. It was an apartment complex and she was here to see him…to see Kurt Wanger.

Of course it wasn't the Kurt she had been engaged to but another one. He too had lost his version of her and together they had started to see each other. They had started to be there for each other both healing together from their losses knowing that only each other knew how the other felt.

She had been spending a lot of her free time with this Kurt and she had thought it was because it was nice to hear that voice, to see that face again. There were still nights that she woke up from nightmares of seeing her Kurt and friends murdered and sometimes when she was alone she broke down and just cried.

Standing outside his apartment building she was starting to rethink things and decided to walk around the block. She thought of how similar and yet different these two were like and how she felt about this Kurt. She was still walking for five minutes and was so deep in thought she didn't notice it raining. She didn't care she had to make a decision she had to know if what she felt was just her transferring her feelings for her Kurt onto him or…or if she was falling in love again with Kurt, only with another.

'Is this my second chance with him? Was I brought here to try and get the happiness I was denied back home?' She asked herself. She thought about it and it was clear to her…she did love him. He had all the qualities she had fallen in love with and he was still different and unique. She had to tell him.

She went up to the door dripping wet and pressed the call button. "Ja? Hello?"

"Kurt." August said weakly, she was scared that he wouldn't feel the same and might be freaked out by this but she needed to tell him.

"August? Come on up." There was a buzz and the door opened and she walked in. She took the elevator up to his floor and knocked on his door. Kurt was surprised to see her dripping wet.

"Mien Gott, please come in, let me get you some towels." He ported off and came back with a few towels.

"Thanks." She said weakly, she dried herself off and looked uncertainly at Kurt. He could see there was something she wanted to say and that she was nervous about something. "Kurt…I need to tell you something." She looked away not being able to look at him.

Her heart was pounding. "Ever since we met I enjoyed being with you. The time we've been together has not only helped me to get over my loss but…I liked it very much too."

"Ja, I have too." He said warmly to her.

She smiled even though he couldn't see it. "But some things different now…you see I've come to realize something…I'm falling in love with you…I know it's kind of weird and I know you're not my Kurt but I'm not falling in love with you because you look, sound and act like him. I'm falling in love with you because you have the same things that made me love my Kurt. You have such a kind and noble soul, your kindness…your beauty…" She was starting to cry now and was glad he couldn't see her face but Kurt did see her shoulders shudder and heard her voice.

He touched her shoulder. "I know you most likely don't feel the same way, I'm sorry for this but I had to say something, I'll…I'll leave now…" She turned to walk back out the door thinking she had just ruined her friendship but felt him grab her arm and pulled her back to him, right into a kiss.

At first she was too surprised but then she responded and increased the pressure and intensity. When she pulled back she saw tears in his eyes too. "I feel ze same, I zought you vouldn't feel ze same so I stayed quiet. I vas afraid I vas betraying ze memory of my August…but I can't help but feel ze same."

August felt as if her heart was flying at that moment, she hadn't been this happy since the day her version of Kurt had proposed to her. She kissed him for a long moment then when she pulled back looked into his eyes. "Kurt…I need to get out of these wet clothes…where's the bedroom?" She hoped she wasn't rushing this but she wanted him in that moment more then anything.

She smiled and in smoke and brimstone they vanished out of his living room and it wasn't long until both of them didn't need their clothing.

**Back in the Complex-**

Dare was sitting in her room thinking about the fight against the Darksider. Dare thought that she had got over the pain of losing her eye but after the Darksider plucked out her good eye, the pain soon resurfaced. That entire day of seeing nothing at all not only brought a new understanding about her father but it also terrified her.

The Doc gave her two new eyes, cloned ones and she could see again and she was glad for it. Luckily April was there to comfort her, even thought the young mutant had gone through her own pain during the fight.

April looked over at her friend. She felt concerned, as she had never seen Dare act like this. April had always known Dare to be a carefree and happy young woman.

"Karen please, talk to me about this." April said, as she looked her friend in the eye. "It'll make you feel better if you talk to someone."

Dare looked back at April with a sceptical look.

"What is there to say?" She asked. "I got another eye plucked out and it hurt."

"But you have new eyes, right?" April replied. "At least you've got depth perception again now." She added with a sweet little smile.

A small smile spread across Dare's face, April could always make her heart melt when she smiled like that.

"Do you mind? I'm trying to brood. I can't do that if you're making me feel good."

April smiled once more and laid her head on Dare's shoulder. Ever since Dare had invited her around for dinner, they had a sort-of relationship with each other. There wasn't any kissing involved, just a little holding hands. That was all right with Dare however, just as long as she was with April she was happy.

Dare's mood soon lifted as she put her arm around April's waist.

"You know, I'm glad I've got somebody like you." She said.

"Me too." April replied. "I've never been as happy as I am with you."

"Aww, you're so cute." Dare grinned. "When I broke up with May, I never thought that I'd love again but, here I am loving you."

"Y-you love me?" April asked, somewhat surprised, nobody had ever said that they loved her before.

"Uh-huh." Dare replied. "You're not freaked are you? I hope I haven't said too much." Dare told her hoping she didn't go too far and ruined what she had with her.

'N-no, it's just a little surprising is all." April said. "Nobody's ever said that they loved me before…"

"The first time's always the best, huh?" Dare asked.

"What makes you think there's going to be another time?" April replied. "You're the only one for me."

Dare just grinned happily and kissed April gently. April was initially surprised but soon found herself returning the kiss.

**Heather's room-**

In their room Heather and James were in bed just holding each other. Both of them had waited so long to be together and they only had a week together and they were both scared that they nearly lost each other. Heather had noticed how quiet James had been. "James what's wrong honey?"

He sighed. He knew he couldn't fool Heather and that she wouldn't let it go. "It just that…when I made that suit I wanted to become more then just the science guy on Alpha Flight, I mean back there I was a team leader and with the exception of going nuts worrying about you…I never felt so useless until that fight."

"You're _not_ useless."

"I feel that way. I mean my suit is trashed and without it…hell even with it I didn't do so well." He aid depressed. "I was taken out so fast and you…you nearly got killed."

"We all nearly got killed and were taken out quickly."

"I know I just…I just feel out of my depth…maybe…maybe I should hold back…at least for until I'm ready and I have something planned too."

"Planned?" Heather asked him.

"Yeah I'm going to upgrade my suit with all the technology around here. I want to start studying the technology here too and hopefully my new suit will give me an edge."

"You really want to do that?" She knew that it was his suit that gave him his abilities and also she was worried that he was losing confidence. "You're a smart man with a lot of courage James, the suit is just an extension of you, and it doesn't make you what you are."

He looked over at his wife and smiled. "Think so huh? Well…I still want to take sometime off from missions, maybe help out in the labs. At least for awhile." Heather hugged him close to her, she knew that he wasn't originally a field member of Alpha Flight and this was still new to him. She just hoped that he got his confidence back.

**Back with Blink and Vincent**- 

Blink had found Vincent in his room looking at some pictures that he kept. She knew they were people that were from his old life that were now dead. She sat down next to him looking at a picture of him as a child with a priest and two other children. One a boy and another a blond girl. "I wasn't able to save any of them."

She placed an arm around him. "I know…I wasn't able to safe all my old friends, or Thunderbird or Magnus…I know what it's like." There was a moment of silence between the two of them.

"Can we skip the part where we tell each other that we did our best, that we can only do what we can and that sometimes we lose." Vincent asked her.

"You mean the little pep talk we give each other that only makes us feel a little better but inside we still feel like crap and still beat ourselves up about it and go right to the part were we have sex and just find comfort with each other?" She asked him with a little smile on her face.

He put the picture down and caressed her cheek and moved in and kissed her softly. "Yeah I can go for that."

"Me too."

Back in Haven City, August was in Kurt's arms and in his bed. She felt so warm with not only his fur against her skin but from the feelings of love she felt from him and he held her. She had thought this moment would never come again in her life and it felt just so right to be here and to feel that familiar feeling of Kurt. She had actually cried a little after they had finished it was just so wonderful; this moment was the happiest moment of her life in such a long time. She was afraid it was just a dream and that she would wake up.

She just snuggled up closer to him enjoying this moment for everything it was worth. As she fell asleep she never felt so safe and so peaceful since she came here. It was also the first night in a long time she fell into a completely blissful sleep.

* * *

**NEXT UP CHAPTER 23: RETURN OF NOCTURN**


	23. Return of Nocturn

**The New Exiles**

**By The Uncanny R-Man And Agent-G**

Shout Outs- 

Episodic: Things will get better and worse in upcoming chapters. And I hear ya on all fronts, DBZ is great and yeah that pissed me off with TJ too. Keep in mind that this TJ is found in the Uncanny New Mutants in the Uncanny Universe written by The Uncanny R-Man, so please read up on that so you know what's going on.

Ruby631: Sorry for that but you got to admit it got your attention. Glad you liked the April/Dare and August bits. Wow, sounds intense I look forward to reading it.

Gypsy: I'm glad you like the story, I got other plans for Thunderbird though.

Booyah: Yeah I came up with the name and it wasn't until Jak 3 came out that it must have been where the name came from. I might do one with them, I'm not sure but I might try sometime.

Red Witch: Yep she's up next, happy holidays to you too.

* * *

**The Complex-**

The team's mood had somewhat improved after their battle with the Darksider, the fact that everybody seemed to find comfort in the arms of others didn't hurt any.

Most of the team were sitting in the rec room, just chilling out. Seeing that Guardian was still recovering from his brush with the Dark Circle, the team wasn't being sent out on any missions and several of them were out on dates. Dare and April were visiting Dare's reality **_(1)_** while Jono and Erotica were over at her apartment.

Blink was snuggled up to Vince on the sofa and had her head lain on his shoulder while Vince had his arm around her waist. August had her head lain on Kurt's knee while she sat on the floor in-between his legs. Rahne was sitting on Morph's lap while the shape shifter idly played with her hair. James was sitting in a comfy chair while Heather was positioned on the arm.

"Have any of you guys got any idea what's up with Guardian?" Morph asked.

"What, apart form almost being killed by one of those Dark Circle guys?" August replied.

"It just seems that he's locked himself in the med bay with T-Bird again." Morph said.

"Perhaps he's tryin' tae revive yuir friend again." Rahne replied.

"I agree with Morph." Vince added. "Guardian's never been in the med bay for this long either."

"I only wish he'd ask for help." Heather piped up. "I know that putting souls and stuff back into bodies isn't my area of expertise but I feel kinda useless just sitting here."

"I think we'd better go talk to Guardian." Blink added. "You never know, he might need or help."

The other Exiles gave their assent and followed Blink to the med bay.

**The med bay-**

Just as the Exiles reached the med bay, the doors swished open and Guardian strode out with a purposeful expression on his face.

"Morph, Blink, I have a mission for you." Guardian said as he saw the team approach. "I need you to bring Nocturne here."

"Does this have anything to do with the fact that you've locked yourself in the med bay with only a holographic doctor for company?" Morph asked.

Guardian's face stayed serious as he answered Morph. "I have exhausted all other methods or reuniting Thunderbird's soul with his body and now it is time to bring in some outside help."

"Let me guess.' Heather said. 'You want TJ to possess him, right?"

"Yes, I do." Guardian replied. "There is a fair chance that once Nocturne possesses Thunderbird's body, we will be able to get a trace on his soul or it might be drawn back to it."

"Not that I'm ungrateful or anything." August said. "But why only Morph and Blink?"

"Because they are the people that have known Nocturne for the longest." Guardian replied. "It was not meant to undermine your usefulness, I merely thought that it would cause Nocturne less pain if Morph and Blink broke the news to her."

"Well, I guess that means that we've got an appointment with a teleporter." Morph said. "Let's go grab us a fuzzy chick!"

**Reality 616.5 (aka, the URM-Verse)-**

It was a quiet morning in the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning. So quiet in fact that most of the faculty members were still in bed. Two faculty members that weren't asleep however were Talia Josephine Wagner and Rachel Grey, the former Exile Nocturne and the X-Woman Marvel Girl.

Rachel laced her arms around TJ's waist as the fuzzy blue woman fried some eggs for breakfast.

"Rachel, do you mind?" TJ asked as she playfully swatted at her girlfriend with her spatula. "As much as I'd like a nice grope, I'm busy with these eggs."

"Aww, but I want smoochies." Rachel pouted as she nibbled on TJ's ear. "And those eggs aren't helping either, looking like miniature boobs and all…"

"You really have no shame, you know that?" TJ replied. "What if a student walked in and saw us making out?"

Rachel just muttered under her breath and grabbed a carton of juice form the fridge. "You're enough to make a girl go heterosexual." Rachel pouted.

"Don't tell me I have to fight somebody for your honour." TJ replied. "Cuz as much fun as that would be, I'm not big on the butch."

"Hey, don't make any exceptions on our account." Morph added.

TJ spun around with a yelp and goggled at he former teammates.

"Clarice, Morph!" TJ gasped. "You guys almost gave me a heart attack!"

"It's great to see you again TJ." Blink grinned as she gave TJ a big hug.

"Same here." TJ replied as she returned the hug.

"I'm having some of this!" Morph grinned as he joined in on the hug. "What about you Ray, you in on this?" He asked the red headed telepath.

"No thanks." Rachel replied just smiling at the scene. "I'll just cop a feel in the showers."

"Why are you guys here anyway?" TJ asked. "I hope nothing's wrong…"

"Perhaps you'd better take a seat." Blink replied to her old friend with a serious expression on her face TJ did as she was told and pulled up a chair beside Rachel.

"It's about Thunderbird…" Clarice began.

TJ's face fell as soon as she heard the name of her former lover.

"Guardian found his body." Blink continued. "He's in pretty much the same state as he was in the Skrull world. His body's fine, as well as his brain, all that we need to find now is his soul. That's where you come in."

"Guardian wants you to possess him and try and find it." Morph added.

TJ bit her lip as she thought this over. On one hand, she loved Thunderbird and even conceived a child with him but on the other, she now loved Rachel. What if the plan was successful, where would that leave her relationship with Rachel? Then again, trying to bring Thunderbird back would be the right thing to do, no matter what her feelings were.

"Okay, I'll do it." TJ nodded. "As long as it's the right thing to do. But on one condition…"

"Anything." Blink replied.

"I want Rachel to come with me." TJ replied. "I might need someone to boost my powers."

"But sweetie, I know you have history with this guy." Rachel said. "I don't want to barge in on your private stuff."

"If we're going to make a go of this relationship, we're going to have to be open about this." TJ replied honestly and took her hand. She also would need her there for support because this was going to be hard no matter what.

"Okay, I'm in too." Rachel nodded.

Without further ado, Blink tapped the controls of the recall device and teleported them all back to the Complex.

**Complex-**

They ended up in the Teleporter room and both TJ and Rachel's jaws dropped at the huge white room. "What the hell?" Rachel said looking around, TJ nodded in agreement.

"Hey this is nothing wait till you see the rest of this place." Morph said with a smirk. They led them through the large double sliding doors and both women were in awe at the sight of the halls.

"Where _are_ we?" TJ asked Blink looking around the place with wide eyes.

Blink smirked, knowing full well how she reacted when she first saw this place, and she was going to really enjoy this. "This is the Complex our base of operations and our home."

"Base of operations and home?!" This shocked TJ. "You mean you all _live_ here? _Permanently_?"

"Yep, no more constant moving around, staying in hotels and stuff for us." Blink said to her friend.

"Damn…I wish we worked for him then that little Timebroker bastard." She said darkly. Ever since she learned from them that Timebroker had been using them for not too pretty means she had been angry for an entire day after they left. Being used and after all that they had gone through…all that she had gone through…she just wished she could ring the little creeps neck. She had been taken from her home, did some pretty unsavoury things, force to kill, left her lover behind, lost her child, was tortured in Mojo World…yes, she had suffered greatly under Timebroker.

"Hey guys, welcome back." Heather and other greeted them. She hugged TJ glad to see her. "Nice to see you again."

"You too girlfriend." TJ said happily then notice the handsome man next to her with short dark hair. "Who's this?"

Heather wrapped her arm around his waist. "This is James, my husband." TJ gave a small scream of joy and hugged her friend again, she was so happy that Heather was finally met her husband.

"Kurt!? August!?" Rachel said surprised to see her teammates here.

"Sorry." August told her. "Different August and Kurt."

"Really? Wow…our Kurt and August are together too in our reality."

"Really?" August's eyes lit up at that. "That's great, I guess this means more then one of us worked out huh?"

Kurt smiled at her and took her hand. "Ja, I guess that's right. I like the fact that we are together in more then one reality."

Vince wrapped his arm around Blink's waist also and they shared a small kiss. TJ saw this and looked between the two a small smile forming on her lips. "What's all this then?"

"Oh, um…this is Vincent…my boyfriend." Blink said blushing a little.

"Well I'm glad you found someone." TJ said taking her friend's hand, when she last saw her Blink had been devastated by Cal leaving and she was worried about her. At least now she knew not to worry, and he seemed like a nice enough fellow. He had this serious expression on his face and his eyes were a little hardened then normal but he had this kindness about him also.

Kind of a 'I'll be your friend but piss me off and I'll kick your ass in a bad way' type of vibe to him too, definitely the kind of guy you would want watching your back.

"RAHNE? Is that you!?" Rachel nearly screamed out seeing Rahne Sinclair only in the garments that she only saw on Selene of the Hellfire Club. At least when she was still evil, lately though she had changed. (**2**) TJ saw this too and seeing her friend dressed like that, was so far a bigger shock then anything else she had seen. She never figured sweet innocent Rahne (even though her current biker-chick look was different) had a dominatrix side to her.

"Hello." She purred out and took Morph's arm and nibbled on his ear a little and looked at the two new women. "Oh and in case ye were wonderin' why I'm dressed like this, tis because I'm the Black Queen of the Hellfire Club, but nae worry, I'm not evil."

"No she isn't." Morph said and then grinned at her. "But she's also a very bad girl when she wants to be."

"Ye know it lover."

"Okay…this is weird." TJ said in utter shock staring at this new Rahne. She was contemplating to tell her Rahne about his encounter or not.

"So is this all the Exiles?" Rachel asked them as they made their way through the large hallways.

"Nope." Morph said as they went on. "April and Dare are off together and Jono is out with his girl in Haven City."

"Wait, Jono? As in Chamber?" Rachel asked.

"Oh yeah, and get this." Morph said. "He's got a full mouth now and has a little telepathy too." Rachel just shook her head. This alternate reality stuff was a real trip. They then walked into the large and very advanced looking medical ward.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me!" TJ said seeing the Doc there with a PADD of his own. "Please tell me I'm not seeing the guy from Voyager here."

"He's based off of that Federation program but I made a few improvements." They turned to see Guardian walk out of the next room and he walked up to TJ. "I'm glad that you're here, I know this can't be easy for you."

She nodded her head. "Thanks, but I owe him to try at least."

Guardian nodded and gestured to the door. They all travelled through the small hallway and when TJ saw Thunderbird in the bed she gasped. She had given up hope of ever seeing him again. She remembered how she had cried herself to sleep for nights after they were forced to leave him behind and the hole in her life that only Rachel had filled. She had only loved three people in her life. John's brother in her own reality who was long gone, John Proudstar laying in that bed, and Rachel standing at her side.

She hadn't been sure but looking at him now…she knew…she still loved him, but she also loved Rachel and ever since her friends had told her about this, she had been worried about what would happened if this worked? Could she just leave him after everything they had shared? Could she tell him about how she lost their baby? Could she just leave Rachel? The thing was she didn't know.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and thought it was Rachel or Blink but it was Guardian instead. So far she had a good opinion of this man, he had given her old team a home, taken care of one of their fallen and gave them hope. She had seen they way the others were, they seemed to have a fire in them they never had before like they believed in what they did.

But looking into those brown eyes she saw more then just a man. His eyes were old, almost ancient and there was much pain, and sadness in them. But she also saw a deep understanding, like he could see right into her soul. "I know this is hard, and I'll understand if you can't do this."

"No…I have to…I owe it to him." She told him with a quiet yet strong voice. He nodded and he set up a few poles with strange orbs on them. He explained how they were actually a mixture of science and sorcery, most of it went over her head but she was just only half paying attention, she kept her focus on John's body.

Rachel was watching her lover and knew this was hard for her. A part of her hoped this worked but she was ashamed to admit even just to herself that there was a part that didn't want this to work. She knew that a part of TJ would always love him, but it was the fact that if he woke up she might stay with him that frightened her the most.

"Are you ready?" Guardian asked her and TJ nodded. She placed a hand on Thunderbird's chest and then entered his body.

At first nothing happened then Thunderbird's eyes opened. "TJ?" Guardian asked her.

"Y-yes…it's…hard to move…" The arm rose up then dropped. He quickly looked a the monitors checking to see any changes he saw TJ's brainwaves and a few other things but other functions weren't working. He activated the devices and after a few minutes as TJ tried to move the body more and more Guardian looked grim.

"Are you feeling anything different then you normally would?"

She thought about it. "Yes…it feels…empty, hollow."

Guardian sighed and looked to Rachel. "I might need your help. Please place a hand on the forehead and concentrate with your full abilities, I'll take it from there."

Rachel nodded and did just that. The sign of the Phoenix glowed on her face as she increased the power and Guardian's eyes glowed blue and he placed his own hand on top of hers. For a minute Rachel caught a glimpse of his power and what it was like to be him in that moment. She saw the universe in ways that she couldn't understand, that were beyond her. It was vast and full of wonders, and she felt a great connection to all things.

In short it was amazing and then it was gone. She blinked and she found herself back in the room and Guardian with a sad look on his face. "I've failed." He simply said and sat down, weary from the strain.

TJ heard that and left the body and looked down at the large form in regret and sadness. The room was silent and everyone knew that it might have been a long shot but one by one everyone left the room in silence and left TJ at the bedside alone.

TJ held his hand and shut her eyes as tears started to fall. "I'm sorry." She simply said they were the only words she could say that made any sense. Sorry for failing, for leaving him, for losing their child, for not being there for him…just…sorry. One little word yet it said all that she felt at the moment.

After a moment she felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up at Guardian. He gave here a look of understanding and she stood up and took one last look at his sleeping form and walked over to him and gave him a gentle kiss on his lips. "Goodbye." She whispered to him. She didn't know why but she felt she would never see him again, it was a feeling but at least this time, she got the chance to say it.

He held her close as they walked into the hallway and when they entered the medical room see saw Rachel there and hugged her close. Everyone left the couple a few minutes alone, as TJ just wanted to be held to be comforted. This had been harder then TJ thought it would be and was glad to still have Rachel in her life.

After a moment TJ composed herself and they spent the time talking to Blink and the others catching up on lost times. It was good for TJ to meet her old friends and to make new ones and was glad the Exiles were in good hands. But soon things had to come to a close and they knew the others would be wondering where they were so they had to say their goodbyes in the teleportation room.

TJ hugged them all and especially Blink last. "Take care Clarice, and of the others."

"Don't worry I will."

They stepped onto the pad and Guardian set the controls but stepped up to them. "Do you ladies mind if I go? I want to set something up in your room for you."

TJ and Rachel gave confused looks. "Set up what?"

He only gave a small knowing smile. "Oh, I think you'll like this."

"Well…" TJ looked to Rachel who shrugged. "Alright then." He smiled and stepped onto the pad and soon they appeared back in the kitchen. "Man…this is smoother then how we used to do it."

"I like to take a little pride in my work." He told them. "So…can you show me where I can set things up?"

"Sure this way." Rachel led him off and the trio came across a few students who just ignored the man in black and they went on their way until they came across Kitty and Piotr.

"GUYS!" Kitty cried out running up to them. "What's going on? You two were gone for hours, Scott and the others were going out of their minds when Emma couldn't find you with Cerebro."

"They were a little…out of range." Guardian said with an amused smile.

Kitty looked at him in confusion. "Who are you?"

He bowed. "A friend my lady." He took her hand and kissed the palm. "It is a pleasure to meet you Miss Pryde." She blushed a little and Piotr got a little over protective of his girlfriend stepping forward but Guardian raised up a hand. "Don't worry, I was just giving your lady a compliment and an honoured greeting, you have nothing to fear from me, I know you hold her heart as she does yours."

'Charmer isn't he?' Rachel sent to TJ who gave a small amused snort.

Piotr then looked curiously at Guardian. "Do I…know you? You seem familiar."

He just smiled. "Maybe we have met, I do get around." They continued on to TJ and Rachel's room and it was still in a mess from that morning. He looked around with an amused look on his face and saw a little embarrassment on the two girls. "Well…I have seen worse places."

"That's nice to know." Rachel said.

"Of course I've also seen Hell and battle fields too so take that into account." He told them, he reached in with to his travel pouch and pulled a small capsule with a button on top. He pressed the button and threw it in the centre of the room and in a buff of smoke a large white metallic crate of some kind was now there.

"What the!?" TJ said with an open mouth, Rachel was just as shocked.

He only grinned at them. "Some little technology that I pick up from an alternate reality from a place called Capsule Corp." (**3**)

He then opened the top and pulled out was looked like a clear glass square with some kind of equipment around it. He placed it onto the wall and it stuck there. "This is a dimensional viewer, with this you can contact the Exiles so can keep in touch. Think of it like a interdimensional phone."

"Cool." Rachel said looking it over and saw a small control panel. They listened as he explained it and set it to only work for TJ and her, but he had one last gift for TJ. Put made the crate go back into its capsule form and put it away and pulled out a recall device and handed it to TJ.

"In case you want to visit or to go home."

"Home?" TJ asked confused with the small device in her hands.

"Yes, I figure you would like to visit your real father and your old friends now and then." He said and smiled as her eyes lit up. TJ had given up ever seeing her home dimension again even through she had a life here it was nice to be able to see her original home again. She hugged Guardian tightly. The entire day was an emotional roller coaster for her full of ups and downs but this was something she had dreamed of for over a year.

"Thank you." TJ said wiping away her tears of joy.

"It's what I do." He said simply and activated his own recall device and vanished.

"Nice guy." Rachel said to her.

She nodded. "Yeah…I'm glad the Exiles have someone like him, and I hope he can help John too."

Rachel hugged her close. "I'm sure of it." TJ smiled and kissed her lover on the lips then hugged her close. At the end of the day this was where she was glad to be.

* * *

**UP NEXT CHAPTER 24: WEAPON X VS THE EXILES**

All under The Uncanny R-Man's account:

_**(1)- **See _'The Adventures of Dare and April' _for__details._

_**(2)**_– See 'The Uncanny Couple' for Details

**(3)** – Dragonball Z reference


	24. Weapon X vs The Exiles

**The New Exiles**

**By The Uncanny R-Man And Agent-G**

_**Shout Outs-**_

Episodic: Well I think it's more of a bittersweet ending, I mean life isn't perfect so why should things turn out perfect?

Gypsy: Don't worry the Thunderbird thing will be wrapped up soon…but you may not like the end result.

Ruby631: Actually I don't remember him, who are you referring to?

X-Over: Timebroker was already dealt with in the first chapter remember?

**Sorry for the long wait guys, but please remember to review

* * *

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**Chapter 24: Weapon X VS The Exiles **

**-Unknown Reality-**

In a reality of Earth that was somewhere in a medieval European city, it had been a quiet summer's day, so far the people had been walking the cobble-stoned streets and going about their business as usual but then again that was over two hours ago and before the new Weapon X team came. At first the people who saw them were in both awe and fear at the strangers.

But that soon changed to terror.

Right after that they attacked and with weapons that they all carried from a far away time. They attacked without mercy and started to kill everyone they found. They used the high-powered weapons and their powers. Mainly the plan was that such a use of powers and weapons not of his time would make ripples in the universe that people and beings sensitive to the cosmic harmony of the universes would pick up on it. It was also their plan that this would bring out the Exiles to them since they came and went so fast it was impossible for Weapon X to catch them.

So Deathstrike decided to bring the Exiles to them, after a little studying he figured this was the best way. He was a planner after all and for his son he would do anything no matter what, it was one of the reasons he was so good at what he did. He emptied his shotgun into people without mercy or a second thought.

The others were doing just as well. Hulk was smashing up the town having said that he didn't need any pop guns, Scorpion and Shiva mainly used melee weapons such as their Katanas. They mainly focused on the ones with weapons such as knights. The armoured men were no match for the undead warrior and the master assassin.

X-23 used her claws and had pistols and grenades. She was trained to just kill and this was what she did, without fear or emotion except her fury. The blond haired machine TX was designed to kill both her mind and humans so she wasn't phased not that there was much that could phase her, and with her arm canon simply blasted whole buildings into flaming rumble.

They continued on like this and over the next two hours the city was smoking and in ruins, the army defeated and the survivors fleeing. Currently the members of Weapon X were holed up in a building. It was one of the few that were intact. They had set up a perimeter with explosives so they would know what would happen, in a courtyard they had several men and woman tied up against wooden poles. They were the bait and were guarded by TX since she didn't sleep and could tell if the Exiles or anyone else got close to the hostages.

Deathstrike was sitting on a straw bed; his black and gold mask was off as he cleaned his weapons. "Does anyone know where Hulk is?"

"I saw him dragging a female off saying something about having some personal 'fun'." Shiva said coldly. She didn't care what the others did and neither did Slade, unless it made him late. He noticed the young woman only named X-23 was sitting cross-legged and looked like she was sleeping. Slade also known as Deathstrikethe Terminator went back to his work.

Shiva pushed back her long raven hair and walked to a window where Scorpion stood. She had to admit that the man intrigued her. "Aren't you tired?"

"The dead don't sleep." He said evenly in a strange otherworldly voice.

"You know I envy you in a way," She said looking out the window. "You will never grow old, and you have already faced every warriors ultimate fear…death."

Scorpion with his dead white eyes turned his head at her. "Being dead isn't what you think it is. Alive, you always have that rush, that excitement of facing death and beating it in every battle…but now that I am dead I no long have that rush or excitement. I feel nothing; since I have my vengeance I now have nothing. That is why I want to live again, so I can feel again and have that spark of life that I once had."

She considered his words carefully and walked away. She never felt more alive when she was in battle and if she didn't have to worry about death what would that do to her. She figured he might be right about that. So she went to get some sleep, she wanted to be well rested for the battle at hand.

**-Complex-**

Most of the Exiles were currently gathered in the state of the art briefing room in their usual seats. There were a few idle conversations going on but that soon died as Guardian strolled into the room. He was back to his old self after taking some time to re-energize himself and when he had been in the Nexus Chamber he came upon something bizarre. "Hello everyone," He said and activated the controls to the holo-projector. "Well it looks like the Dark Circle is back up to their old tricks in a way."

"Great, what do those losers want this time?" Morph said crossing his arms, he and the original Exiles all felt like they still have a personal state in the Circle for over a year screwing with their lives.

"It seems that they re-formed Weapon X." An image of the new members showed up. Blink, Heather and Morph who had faced the old Weapon X stiffened a little. "As you can see they have several members that I found information on. Their leader is Slade AKA Deathstroke the Terminator, Blink don't underestimate him, and he's smart, deadly and completely lethal." He went on the list the other members and give them as much background as he could have found in a short time he also gave them what they were currently up to.

"This is all bait for us isn't it?" Vince asked staring at the map of the area memorizing the terrain. Years of fighting a guerrilla war taught him many things including how to spot a trap.

"Yeah pretty much goes without saying." Chamber agreed leaning back. "Although I say you take on the Hulk there."

"Gee, thanks." Vince said dryly. He had done a lot of research and heard some of the stories like how the Exiles first met the Hulk early on in their first year. So far this one was the grey Hulks and he hoped that he was like the other grey ones. The Grey Hulk even though one of the smarter Hulk personas he was the weakest. If you can call lifting ninety tons 'weak' that is.

"Hey where are the others anyway?" Heather spoke up, she was hoping that her husband could join in on this to help him get his confidence back, plus they could use the back-up."

Guardian shook his head. "Unfortunately April, Dare and even James went on a little errand for me. They won't be back in time."

"Typical," August said under her breath. "Oh well more for us to trash."

"Okay if these guys are so anxious for a fight I say we give them one." Blink said sternly getting up. She didn't like the fact these monsters had attack an entire town just to draw them out, but they were going to make them all pay for this.

**-Reality GH-28375-**

Slade was in a room getting his weapons in order when the Tallus on his arm sent him a message that the Exiles had shown up. He tapped behind his ear to a sub-dermal communicator that their 'employers' had installed in them. "Heads up everyone, they're here get into position."

With that the Weapon X crew got to their staging areas with Scorpion and TX guarding the hostages.

Elsewhere the Exiles were slowly making their way through what was left of the town. The inhabitants had ran for the most part, most likely to another town or city to get help and they knew that whoever the king was of this land would send an army in here. Only those forces would get slaughtered. They stopped when they were near the square where the hostages were and Blink pulled out the PADD and did a scan.

She could read the innocent people but not the Weapon X people. "Jono, can you get a lock on where the they are?" She whispered to him.

He nodded his head and tried to scan. He had been doing some new training recently with Guardian to improve his telepathic skills. He might not be able to read minds unless he was close enough now with Sinister's alterations to him but he could at least sense where they were. At least the humans.

He got nothing from the TX because she was a machine and Scorpion wasn't alive and sensing his mind was too strange. He couldn't find Slade or X-23 and figured their minds were too shielded for him. He did find Shiva and Hulk. "I got the Hulk in that large stable over there and Shiva is waiting over on the other side of the street but I'm having trouble with the other two."

"Well we'll have to do our best then." Clarice exasperated. She didn't like sending them all in there but they needed to end this before more lives were lost. "Okay Vince your on Hulk duty, concentrate only on him no matter what. If he gets a chance he'll tear right through the rest of the team." The dark haired Canadian nodded once in understanding his face was all serious now.

"Who wants the assassin?"

"I'll take the bird," Jono told her. "I might be able to shut her down if I get close enough."

Alright." Blink nodded. "Heather and August I want you on hostage duty." The two women nodded. "I'll drop you all with my portals and when Slade and X-23 show up, Morph and me will take them. Anyone got a problem with that?" There were no objections.

The Hulk was waiting impatiently. He was also bored, and was wondering if he could borrow one of the women they had the few he kept alive were too frail for his taste. He thought about that X-23 woman. She had an adamantium skeleton and healing factor was a plus, not to mention a killer behind. He was lost in his perverse thoughts and didn't notice someone was in there with him. "Got the time pal?" Said a voice.

"Got the time?" The huge man said turning around confused only to meet a giant crimson blast of energy sending him out through the roof and then something feeling like a set of fists hit him and he swore a kick to his ribs, the next thing he knew he had hit the ground leaving a crater. "Urg…what hit me?" He asked himself.

"Me." Said that same voice and he saw a young man with a dark look at him.

"Oh yeah, I'm going ta enjoy this buddy." Hulk said wiping his chin and standing up.

While the destruction of that battle, which was heard all over town, as were the explosions and what seemed like Earthquakes also. Shiva was waiting still in position with a Claymore remote. She was responsible for blowing them when the Exiles tried to get down one of the two main streets. What they didn't count on was that they knew where some of them already were and she felt the presence of someone behind her. She quickly dropped the remote and turned throwing several knives.

"Bollocks!" Chamber yelled out diving behind a table. His left arm and ribs got clipped by two of the three knives and he just glad that he sensed her heightened state of mind and dodged just in time or he would have had three knives in his chest. He overturned the table as two more imbedded themselves through the wood. He used his powers and sent a blast at the table sending it like a projectile across the room but Shiva easily dodged it. "I say again…bollocks." He muttered.

He knew he was in for a fight now.

In the square, a portal opened and August and Sasquatch dropped put. Sasquatch immediately attacked the TX and the blond Terminator ended up with a face full of claw and sent into a wall. She went to free the people who weren't sure if they were being saved or not from the giant hairy beast before them.

August went straight for Scorpion and she grinned at the sight of the black and yellow ninja with the skull-like lover face plate. "Okay ninja-boy, show me what you got." Scorpion only narrowed his eyes and attacked not one for wasting words. She felt the blows but with her super strength threw back more then she took.

The TX with a nasty claw mark across her face blinked and then stood up and the 'flesh' on her body turned sliver along the injuries and healed over in seconds. She cranked her neck and looked back through the hole she had made with a rare glare on her face. She wasn't one to have any emotion but at the moment annoyance was close to what she was experiencing. She was a state of the art SkyNet AI and she wasn't going to let some _organic_ throw _her_ around like that. She stepped out of the hole and saw that the humans were fleeing. It didn't matter it wasn't her mission priority. She transformed her arm into the energy canon and aimed and then fired.

Slade saw that he had underestimated them. He had assumed that they would all go in charging for the hostages not take out two of his team members first. He knew that the other two were most likely waiting for him and X-23 so he figured to indulge them. He tapped the communication device by his ear again. "X-23, attack at your discretion." She would do fine on her own so he would do his own thing. He gathered his weapons and prepared to join in on the fight.

Blink and Morph were waiting and watching for the last two members to show up but then they saw Heather get hit by an energy weapon and go down. "Damn it, we can't wait for the other two!" Morph told her and she had to agree. She portaled the two of them there and landed close to the TX.

The female AI turned and Morph grabbed the cannon arm by extending his own and forcing it out of the way sending the shot go wild. Blink threw a lance at the arm disintegrating it. The TX looked shocked at what had happened to its arm. It wasn't just the skin but the exoskeleton that had been destroyed and it would need repairs.

"Oh yeah, looked like we dis-armed you babe." Morph grinned but stopped when the Terminator rushed him and tackled him. Blink threw several more teleporting her out of the way. She wanted to destroy her but if she missed she might have injured Morph. The TX found it self a mile away from the battle and stood up. She scanned her position and then at a mad run, ran back to the battle.

"Thanks." Morph said rubbing his throat where the Terminator had grabbed him and nearly popped his head off by crushing his throat. They ran to check on Heather while August was still busy with Scorpion. It wasn't easy since he kept making these mini-teleportations. At one point he stopped and extended his hand as a living harpoon shot at her.

"Oh crap." She muttered and dodged just in time as it passed her head taking off some of her hair and imbedding itself in a one of the thick wooden beams. She saw Scorpion tug on it but it seemed to be stuck. She grinned and with a flying kick send him flying with such force the harpoon cord was ripped out of his hand.

Vincent was having a tough time with the Hulk. He had thrown practically everything he had at him and _still_ the Hulk was standing. This was the toughest battle he had ever faced, not counting the Darksider, so he was both getting a bit worried about if he could take him out but also was excited at facing someone like this. Challenges like this didn't come along everyday and had already made mental notes to make a Hulk scenario in the training rooms after this.

Both combatants had torn clothing and bloodied and battered going through their own personal war. "Alright you little runt," The Hulk said wiping blood from his mouth. "I am NOT going down to some little punk!" The Hulk lunched himself at Vince but he was faster and moved out of the way. He knew taking on the Hulk head on was stupid so Vince stuck to the stick and move attacks.

He fired blasts of energy at the Hulk from a distance and dodged whatever punches the larger grey man threw at him and countered with kicks, punches, elbows and once a head butt but that had hurt both of them more then either one had thought and both stayed away from that move. Vincent just hoped that he could keep this big boy busy.

Blink and Morph were checking on Heather, she had a bad burn on her chest but she seemed to be healing well. "How are you doing?" Blink asked Heather.

"Alright…I think…" Heather said weakly.

"Hey don't worry you're built tough beside James would kick our ass if you were hurt really bad." Morph joked to Heather. She smiled a little weakly form it though thankful for the thought. Morph stood and saw August was back at it with the ninja. "Man that guy must like getting his butt kicked by a girl, so…where's the other ones?"

He was answered by X-23 attacking him from behind. Blink whirled around readying a lance when she heard the sound of a shotgun being cocked. "Drop it." Came a cold and even voice and she did so. She turned her head a little and looking over her shoulder she saw Slade there with a gun pointed at her. "Surrender and we'll make this quick girl, or it can and will get ugly."

Jono was slammed into another wall as he was getting his ass handed to him by the beautiful yet completely deadly dark haired assassin. He kept trying to get into her mind but it her mind was really strong and focused so he decided on the other way. Trying to blast her, but she was too quick and kept on dodging. 'Let me take on the bloody assassin,' He thought to himself. 'Next time I'm going to keep my mouth shut!'

He slumped against the wall looking up and she pulled out a katana and with no remorse in her face held it high over her head for a final strike. It was a now or nothing move and pushed with all his mind into her head. It caused one hell of a headache but she felt dizzy and disoriented just long enough to blast her with his energy sending her into a stone wall knocking her out. He sat there happy that the woman was out of the game. "I hope the others had an easier time then me." He muttered and found something to tie her up with and leave her there and join the others.

August had had enough of this dead warrior and sent a fireball at him, only he shrugged it off. He pulled off his mask and also his _face_ with it leaving a skull. "Now that's just gross." August said grimacing at the sight. Then she was engulfed by fire coming out of the mouth but she just walked thought it. The head tilted and August glared at him seeing her singed clothing. "You're not the only one that's fire proof."

Morph was doing his best _not_ to get cut up by this woman. He had had _enough_ of that for sometime not to mention it hurt like hell when his body was cut up. He morphed his body into odd shapes and would split his form, make holes whatever he needed to do but this girl was fast and the extra claws in her feet didn't help either. "Come on I could really use a break." He muttered. Just then Scorpion flew through the air slamming into X-23 and both went flying ten yards away. "Wow…that was…helpful."

"You're welcome." August said brushing her hands.

"Impressive but futile," Came Slade's voice with a shotgun pointed at Blink's head. "But either you surrender or your leader will be missing a head." The two looked on in defeat.

"Don't listen to-ARG!" Blink tried to tell them not to listen but Slade hit her with the gun forcing her to her knees. The two looked at Blink with a look of sorry in their eyes. Both had lost too many friends and would let another die and so they raised their hands. Then a giant crashing sound came from behind Slade as the Hulk was slammed through one building across the street into another. Blink took the distraction and opened a portal and disappeared from in front of him over to her friends.

He quickly turned his weapon back to them and fired Blink out of reflex opened a portal catching all of the bullets in mid air as the another portal opened behind Slade as hit leg and the bullets hit the back of his left leg. He cried out in pain and August threw a fireball at the gun forcing him to drop it.

Slade looked around, he was surrounded, the Hulk didn't seem to be getting up, TX was no where in sight, Scorpion was out cold, X-23 was getting up but so was Heather slightly, and Vincent was walking towards them looking worse then before as his left arm was limp. Jono was coming over now and Shiva was nowhere in sight.

He considered his options and he had to admit that Weapon X was defeated so he pressed on the Tallus on his wrist. He would have to retreat but this was just the first battle. In a flash all the members of Weapon X disappeared and vanished.

"Oh come on back here you psychos!" Morph yelled out at them.

"I get the feeling this isn't the last we'll see of _those_ guys." Chamber said holding one of his arms and sitting down on some rubble.

Blink looked around them and thought of the old Weapon X and how many times they had met those guys. They also had lost Illyana the last time they fought, although she hadn't been one of Blink's favourite people, having Hyperion just snap her neck like that in such a cold manner had been heartless. Now they had to deal with a whole new group.

Unlike the last one she didn't see any member like Gambit who had seen how wrong they were and changed sides. This time around they would have to fight all those members…and she feared one day it would have to be to the death. She had seen enough death as it was for a lifetime and didn't relish the thought of more.

"No…this isn't the end," Blink said quietly to herself looking at the sky. "This is only the beginning with them."

* * *

**NEXT UP CHAPTER 25: The Terror of Trigon**

_The Exiles travel to the DC Universe and meet up with the Teen Titans._


	25. The Terror of Trigon

**The New Exiles**

**Chapter 25: The Terror of Trigon**

**By**

**The Uncanny R-Man And Agent-G**

Notes- _The Teen Titans featured here are from the comics, not the cartoon show._

Aaron: Glad you liked the fights, and this fic does give you lots of stuff for us to work with.

Ruby631: Yeah I can see those two getting along

X-Over: It would be suicide to take them all on head on, so don't count on it.

Thanks to: Red Witch, TheLegendaryManHimself

* * *

**Exiles Complex-**

As usual, the Exiles were all gathered in the briefing room so Guardian could give them the low-down on their latest mission. Dare and April were still away doing their own thing and James was in the city taking in the science community hoping to learn a few things. The doors swished open as Guardian walked into the room.

"I'm afraid that I must get down to business." Guardian said walking over to the control panel. "You are needed most urgently."

The Exiles watched intently as Guardian activated the hologram projector and an image of an island near New York appeared. One distinguishing thing about the island was the building that stood in the middle of the island.

"No way!" Morph grinned. "You can't seriously tell me that we're gonna meet the Teen Titans!"

"Yes way, Morph." Guardian replied. "For those of you that don't know of the Teen Titans, here is a brief introduction of the team's members…"

The image then changed to that of several costumed heroes. The image zoomed into a guy wearing a black bodysuit with a blue bird emblem on the chest. "This is the Teen Titan's leader, Nightwing," Guardian explained. "He used to be Batman's protégé but went off to make it on his own."

The image changed to that of a tall orange-skinned woman with waist-length red hair.

"This is Princess Koriand'r of Tameran, also know as Starfire," Guardian said. "She has the ability to fly and shoot beams of energy form her hands. She is also quick to anger so you'd better be careful there."

The image changed once more to show a tall, muscular African-American guy with numerous cybernetic parts on his body.

"This is Victor Stone, also know as Cyborg." Guardian said. "His body was horrifically damaged in a laboratory explosion and the only way for him to survive was to have those cybernetic parts grafted onto his body. Next up is Wonder Girl, real name Donna Troy. She is the younger sister of Wonder Woman and has the same powers also, not to mention an unbreakable lasso and bulletproof bracelets. The green-skinned young man is Garfield Logan, also known as Beast Boy. He has the ability to change into any creature that he wishes."

The next image that popped up was of a pale young woman wearing a flowing purple cloak.

"This young woman is only known as Raven." Guardian explained. "She is the one that you must help. Hardly anything is known about her, only that she has certain empathic and telekinetic powers, as well as a healing touch."

The final image that appeared was of a huge red-skinned demon with a head full of horns and six evil yellow eyes.

"This is Trigon, he is Raven's father. He has tried to exert his control over his daughter several times but the Teen Titans have always thwarted his plans. Unfortunately, all this pressure was too much for Raven and she is due to snap."

"So long story short, we have to stop this Trigon guy from manifesting, right?" Vincent asked. "Great, more demons."

"Tell me about it." August muttered.

**Titans Tower, New York-**

Starfire and Wonder Girl were having an impromptu duel with staffs atop a bridge over a small pond while Beast Boy and Cyborg looked on.

"Betcha five bucks Kory ends up in the pond again." Beast Boy challenged.

"Geez BB, you never give up, do ya?" Cyborg sighed. "You're lucky that Kory can't hear you, you know how bad that temper of hers is."

"Meh, I like to live dangerously." Beast Boy shrugged. "But can you blame me? A hottie like Kory plus water, you know what I'm saying?"

Cyborg just shook his head and turned to watch the two Titans duel.

Starfire tried to sweep Wonder Girl's legs form under her but the Amazon jumped over the staff and hit Starfire on the chin. Wonder Girl then tried to follow that up with a blow to the gut but Starfire blocked that with her own staff and then hit Wonder Girl on the chin. Wonder Girl merely smiled evilly and brought her staff down in a sword swing. Starfire blocked that too and used Wonder Girl's own momentum against her and threw her on her butt.

"Do you submit?" Starfire asked as she placed a booted foot upon the Amazon's chest.

"Never!" Wonder Girl replied as she grabbed Starfire's leg and pulled her down. Starfire swore out loud in her native language and ended up in the pond, splashing Wonder Girl with water.

"Oh for X'Hal's sake!" Starfire hissed as she slapped the pond's surface. "I'll never master fighting with a staff."

"Oh well, there's always next time." Wonder Girl replied, barely restraining her laughter at the sight of the drenched alien. "Here, I'll help you up."

Wonder Girl knelt down to help her friend up. An evil grin spread across Starfire's face as she grabbed Wonder Girl's arm and pulled her into the pond.

Wonder Girl popped back up, her long raven locks plastered to her face. "I guess I should have seen that coming." Wonder Girl sighed as she flicked her hair out of her face.

"You should never turn your back on your opponent." Nightwing said from his position leant against a tree. "You'll never know what to expect from them." Everyone jumped at the sound of the voice, not seeing the person who had said it arrive.

"And just how long have you been standing there?" Wonder Girl asked, slightly peeved. "Don't you know it's rude to sneak?"

"Hey, it's what I do." Nightwing replied with a smile, shrugging a little. "I sneak, just as Beast Boy pervs."

"I heard that!" Beast Boy replied form his seat several feet away.

Nightwing was about to make a witty retort when several unfamiliar figures appeared in a flash of light. "Heads up people, we've got company!" Nightwing said as he dropped into a fighting stance.

"These guys don't look like HIVE's usual recruits." Cyborg said a she got his sonic cannon ready. "Just who are you guys anyway?"

"We're the Exiles." One of the strangers, a young woman with purply-pink skin and strange markings on her face replied.

"I don't believe a word of it!" Starfire hissed as he eyes glowed green with anger. "I say we fight them here and now."

"Man, when Guardian said Starfire had a temper, he wasn't kidding." Vince said. "She makes Wolverine look like a Buddhist monk!"

"How do you know my name?" Starfire asked, her eyes narrowing judging the strange man with dark hair. "Who are you people?"

"As I said before, we're the Exiles." Blink replied. "We were originally brought together to fix distortions in the fabric of reality…"

Later- 

After Blink had given the Teen Titans the low-down, they had been more than less welcomed into the Tower. The both teams were presently in the briefing room, trying to come up with a battle plan.

"Man, I can't believe we have to do this again!" Beast Boy groaned from his spot on the couch. He leaned back and covered his face with both hands and groaned before putting his hands down. "We just beat Trigon for the umpteenth time last month. How many times is it now?"

"Five." Nightwing replied.

"Shouldn't we include Raven in this?" August asked them all looking around for her. "Y'know, it is her father we're going to fight."

"Well, the thing is that we haven't seen any sign of Raven since the last time we fought Trigon." Wonder Girl replied, she was feeling a little worried about her friend now that she thought about how they hadn't seen her since then. "She just up and left after the battle, she said that she was a danger to the team."

Morph looked over from his perch on the windowsill. He blinked a few times hoping that was he saw outside wasn't real but decided what he was seeing was real. "Umm, since when did the Hudson River ever run red with blood?" Morph asked them all not taking his eyes off the screen that looked like it was out of the Ten Commandments. "Call me paranoid but, since when is that a good thing?"

"This is exactly how the last attack started!" Nightwing said seeing the river. He knew things were going to get serious now and it was time to rally the others. "Titans, go!"

The rest of the Titans jumped off their seats and charged out of the room.

"Man, we really need our own battle cry." Chamber said to his teammates. "The Avengers have _'Avengers Assemble'_ and the Things has _'It's clobberin' time!' _But what have we got? Bugger all!"

"Jono, I don't think now is the time for jokes." Heather told him moving on to the exit with the others.

"I just thought I'd get in there before Morph did, is all." Chamber shrugged, while Morph scowled mainly because he wanted to make that remark then the joke Chamber made at his expense. "But I am right though, right?"

**Manhattan-**

The Exiles teleported over to Manhattan thanks to Blink and found the Titans already starting their battle against a hoard of demons. Add to that Trigon standing atop a nearby skyscraper observing the battle. What took the Exiles by surprise was the fact that he was joined by a purple-cloaked woman.

"Aww man, that looks like Raven." Morph said. "But she's got red skin and six eyes, just like her Daddy." He had to admit she was really creepy looking at the moment.

"Demons." August hissed in disgust. "I hate demons!" She still had nightmares of being trapped in Limbo to this day and she knew that time of her life would haunt her for the rest of her life. Although taking her anger out on demons did help a bit for her to get over that time too.

With that, the Exiles leapt in to the fight. Blink threw her lances at the demons, teleporting them away while Vince used his powers to fly in the air dodging the flying demons whilst he blasted them with his energy blasts. He was joined in with Starfire and Wonder Girl.

Heather changed to her Sasquatch form and battered the demons with her furry fists while Morph changed his hands into orange rocks and battered more. Chamber blasted more demons with blast form his chest while August threw fireballs about and battered the demons with her super strength. The Titans helped out with Beast Boy turning into a T-Rex and going Jurassic Park on the demonic army, Cyborg blasting away with his sonic gun.

Nigthtwing was fighting to the best of his abilities and seeing his team fight along side the Exiles he had to admit that things were going easier then it would have been without them.

Up above their heads, Raven turned to her father with a worried expression. "Father, your demons are being beaten."

"Do not worry, daughter." The large red demon replied with an evil chuckle. "This is merely a start to the chaos that shall inevitably reign!"

Back down on the streets below, Vince looked up at the demon and his half-breed daughter. "Why aren't they taken us themselves?" He thought out loud. "Why send and army of demons against us when you could just roast everybody with a burst of fiery breath? That's it, I'm going up there to take him down myself!"

Blink saw this and yelled out to stop her boyfriend from doing something foolhardy. "Vince, no! You can't take him on your own!"

But it was too late, Vince was too high up to hear Blink's pleas as he started to fly around Trigon, blasting him with energy blasts. Unfortunately, these didn't seem to be having any affect, apart form a mild annoyance. Trigon snarled in annoyance and tried to swat the Canadian mutant out of the sky, but Vince was too quick and dodged out of the way.

"Enough!" Trigon bellowed as he opened his mouth.

Vince tried to dodge the incoming blast of fire but was too slow and was knocked out of the sky. Instead of letting him fall to his death, Trigon plucked the mutant out of the sky.

"You shall pay for this transgression, mortal."

Vince tried to struggle out of Trigon's grip but his super strength was no match for the colossal demon.

Down below, Blink watched in horror as Trigon shovelled Vince into his mouth and swallowed him whole. _"NO!" _She screamed._ "You bastard!"_ She had already lost too much in her life and seeing her latest love seemingly to die just there made her go cold inside.

Blink teleported up to the top of the skyscraper and started pelting Trigon with her teleportation lances out of anger and fury, but the demon's magics were too strong.

Raven stepped in and clutched Blink in her hand. "None shall lay their hands upon Trigon the Terrible!" She snarled as she threw Blink away. Just as Blink was about to splatter against the opposite building, Starfire flew up and caught her just in time.

"No more deaths." Starfire said simply. "This has gone on for far too long!"

"You are correct, alien," Trigon replied with a grin showing his multitude of sharp teeth. "Now it is time for me to make my move!"

Down below, the Exiles and Teen Titans who had just finished mopping up the demons now watched on powerless as Trigon jumped down form his perch atop the skyscraper. "That mortal was most appetising. Hmm, I wonder who shall be next? Ah, how about you, the fire-wielder?"

August got a fireball ready to defend herself but found that Trigon never got a chance to lay his hands on her. Trigon let out a grunt of pain as he clutched his chest. "No… What?" He groaned out, feeling like his insides were burning up.

"What the bloody hell is going on?" Chamber asked Cyborg next to him who only shrugged as they returned their attention back to Trigon who was kneeling on the ground in pain.

"It looks like Trigon's got a spot of indigestion." Beast Boy replied happily.

Trigon then let out a terrible scream of pain as something burst from his chest in a powerful explosion of crimson energy and Vince emerged from the gaping hole.

"Man, now I know what that guy felt like in the first Alien movie." The Canadian winced as he was covered in demon guts and was close to throwing up from it all. Having seen the inside of a giant demon was something he could have lived without and unfortunately was something he would never forget.

"Okay guys, with Trigon's weak, let's take him down!" Nightwing commanded.

"Exiles, let's do it!" Blink added.

Both the Exiles and the Teen Titans poured it on, battering the wounded Trigon with their respective powers. Sonic blasts, fireballs, Starbolts, teleportation lances, both teams used their whole arsenal until the demon lord was down.

"Father, no!" Raven howled. _"Noooo…" _Raven gave a scream of terror as she began to fall to the ground, her father's influence forcibly purged form her body.

"Hold on Rae, I've got you!" Beast Boy said as he turned into a pterodactyl and caught her in his talons.

Upon landing back on the ground, the Exiles and Teen Titans gathered around the barely conscious empathy. "Careful, don't get too close!" August warned them all. "She could still be under Trigon's control!"

"No, he has gone…" Raven replied weakly coming around to her senses as she rose up on shaky legs. "Trigon no longer has any control over me…"

"Permanently?" Nightwing asked sceptically. "He's come back before."

"He has gone…" Raven repeated. "I now feel… pure." For the first time in her life that dark part of her soul that she always fought against seemed to no longer be there in her.

"We'd better get you back to the Tower." Wonder Girl said placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You're barely conscious as it is."

"But… why?" Raven asked. "After all I have put you through…"

"We've forgiven you before, and we'll forgive you again." Cyborg replied. "You're not only our friend Raven, you're family."

For the first time in her life, Raven actually smiled! Perhaps she could enjoy a normal life now that Trigon was finally gone. A normal life that included hanging out with her friends, shopping, even dating! Beast Boy always seemed friendly enough, when she was strong enough; perhaps she could ask him out…

The other Exiles watched as the other team was happily getting along and to have their old friend back. Vince was wiping off some of the demon guts off him wondering if he would have to burn these clothes when Blink suddenly hugged him tightly.

"I thought you were dead you jerk." She said to him both in anger, relief and happiness.

He hugged her back. "Sorry about that, didn't mean to give you a scare like that." He said honestly. "You do know that I'm still covered in Demon guts right?"

"I know and I don't care," She pulled back her front now covered in the red mess and then poked him in the chest. "But if you ever do something stupid like that again then I…I…"

"Do what?" Morph asked with a smile. "It's not like you can hurt him."

Blink glared at Morph for a bit and then crossed her arms looking at Vince with a stern gaze. "Then you won't see me naked again for a whole week!"

Vince's face fell at that they both pretty much spent almost every night together now and to be honest he found a type of peace and serenity in her arms at night and he rarely got his nightmares with her and the idea of not having her presence again next to him wasn't something he wanted to go without.

"Alright, and you're right about that sorry." He said to her honestly.

She sighed. "Well consider this a warning," Then turned to the others. "Not to mention to the rest of you, I lost too many friends as it is and I don't want anymore stupid moves."

"You got it boss lady." Morph said while looking like an army private.

Blink just rolled her eyes, well to the best of her ability since her eyes were pure green, and then whispered to Vincent as she pulled out the PADD to get them home. "You can make up for scaring me while we clean up in the shower when we get back." That got a smile on the Canadian's face.

They disappeared in a flash of light just as Nightwing turned to them and was about to offer them to come back with them for a celebration but the Exiles had just left. "Guess they had to run out and help others." He said to himself.

"Nice guys, I wonder if we'll see them again?" Beast Boy asked the team leader.

He just shrugged. "Don't know, but if things get really messed up I'm sure we will."

**TBC…

* * *

**

**Next: Meeting Mr. Creed**

**Blink finds the reality where she left Creed the man that was like a father to her and wants to see him again and for him to meet her new love, but how will Sabertooth feel towards the Canadian boy?**


	26. Meeting Mr Creed

The New Exiles 

**By The Uncanny R-Man And Agent-G**

_**Shout Outs-**_

Episodic: I'm sure it would have, sorry it didn't make as much sense as it could have. You know that won't be easy, and Sabretooth is not the kind of father any guy would like to meet.

Superstar Kid: Yeah Morph would have been all over Starfire and maybe Donna too. Sorry about that, sometimes things fall through the cracks like an August/Raven fight. Yeah that's exactly where Creed was the last time we saw him and you bet that's going to be one hell of a meeting.

TheLegendaryManHimself: Yeah she does, and maybe he never saw that film yet.

Ruby631: Well he better hope he likes him or things might get ugly.

Thanks to: X-Over

* * *

**CHAPTER 26: MEETING MR. CREED**

**-Complex, Main Labs-**

The Main Labs were really just one huge room with many tables, work stations, lab equipment from various places that Guardian had picked up over the last few thousand years and a few he made himself. At the moment he was at a work station doing the final touches on a new device and was waiting for the program he made to be downloaded into the device. It wasn't for anything in particular just an idea he had and he liked to plan ahead.

'Better to be over prepared then under prepared.' An old mentor of his had once told him. While waiting there he was thinking back on a few things. For one how he recently resurrected a Jean Grey and Moira in that one reality. (**1**)

He had used one of the Soul Orbs, something that brought back one person from the dead. Although he had needed to bring those two back for a reason. They would be needed for rough times ahead for one. Although there were limitations to the soul orbs, for instance he couldn't use them on Thunderbird because his body was still alive, they couldn't be used more then once to bring back the same person and they had to be used in the reality where they died, also if that person was from another reality then the one in which they died in it wouldn't work either. If any of the Exiles died while on a mission or even here on Haven he couldn't use those on them.

One of the many reasons he was never allowed to bring back his wife and son, or other children…he was banished from the reality where they had died. One of the reasons he had no love for the Confederation anymore.

"Hey Adam what's this?" He turned to face the dark haired Canadian man named James, Heather's husband. So far he had proven very useful in his lab work like April had been assisting him. He looked at the silvery object with writing on it in an alien language that was about the size of a soccer ball only oval shaped with a point and very smooth surface.

"Oh that, that's a piece of technology I found form a race called the Ancients (**2**)…as for what it does…I have no clue."

James plinked a few times not sure if he had heard right. "I thought you knew everything?"

"I'm sorry I don't," Adam shrugged while in a lab coat. "A race of aliens known as the Asgard who are way smarter then me in certain areas have only managed to understand a fraction of the Ancient's knowledge. What I do know from those symbols is that it's a power source…of some kind…I think."

James looked at the device, it was made out a metal that didn't register even on this equipment and was a lot lighter then it looked. "How long have you've been studying this?"

"Three hundred years…on and off." Adam smirked seeing James' head snap up like that and the look on his face. "There might be a reason I can't find out what this does." He gently took it from James and set it back to the place it was kept. "You see in the reality I got this from the humans in that reality have certain 'keys' in their DNA that would allow them to use Ancient technology."

He placed it back on a specially made holder and saw the questions that must be going through his mind, ever the scientist. Adam had known a few people like that, might be why he liked the man. "And before you ask, no I don't have those 'keys' because I'm not from that reality and I doubt anyone else here does, I can't really ask them cause that race died out and I don't like time travel and I do have a database of the Ancients but it's so massive I can only take out a little bit at the time. I could try and look this up but it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack of infinite size."

James thought about all of that before answering. "Okay…first…I really hate it when you know what I'm going to say like that, and secondly…that's a _big_ haystack."

"You have _no_ idea," Adam sighed. Just thinking about looking or trying to look through all that data gave him a headache. He had been at it for a thousand years and still only learned a fraction of their knowledge, well more like a fraction of a fraction to be accurate. He picked up a small object a metallic box. "Tell you what, maybe you can help me find out what this is. I found it a few months back but I never got around to cataloging it."

James took it and examined it. It looked like some sort of synthetic metal and there were a few slots for something and it looked like it opened but when he tried nothing happened. "I think I can find something out, where did you get it?"

Guardian reached for a PADD and accessed his personal database. "Let's see…ah yes I remember now." He passed it to James and he glanced at the data and started to read everything about it.

At that moment Alfred winked into existence at that moment and the transparent green hologram turned to face Guardian. "Sir, you requested to know when Blink had returned from the city, well she is currently walking to the lounge area."

"Thanks Alfred." Adam said nodded as the holographic AI disappeared. He knew that Blink would love the surprise he had in store, it had taken some time but he had found exactly what she needed.

**-Lounge-**

Blink was cuddled up with her boyfriend and new love Vincent. She had been feeling a little blue lately and he had been trying to help her out of it, he had taken her to a trip to the city to see the sights and it was pleasant but couldn't completely make her feel better. It was just that even though she had a home, a love life and friends she missed the sense of family she had, like her adopted father Victor Creed.

Vince looked down his arm wrapped around her and her head resting on his chest. He hated to see her like this. Even though the years had hardened him a bit he was still a soft guy in his heart to those he cared about. He didn't know what to do but he would try at the moment she just seemed content to just be in his arms.

After some time Guardian came into the room, he was wearing a lab coat so he must have been in the lab at the moment, since they all usually saw him in that black coat or just in plain black clothing. Of course now since they knew more about him they all had a feeling why he always wore black. But he never really showed that and came up to them with a smile.

"Ah Clarice just the woman I wanted to see, I think I have something you might enjoy."

Blink perked up a bit wondering what it could be and with him almost anything was possible. "What?" Was the only thing she could ask.

"Remember the reality where you had to leave your adopted father Mr. Creed AKA Sabretooth?" He asked her and he saw her eyes widen in hope as she slowly nodded. "Well since you two are from the same reality you both carry the same quantum signature and after I learned of the kind of reality where he was left I had the computers do a search and they found it. If you want you can see him anytime."

Blink squealed in joy and jumped up hugging him tightly. "Oh my God thank you so much, I really want to see him again, hey are the others ready, can they come too, oh Vince I want you to meet my dad too and can we go right this moment?" She started to ask in rapid-fire questions after letting him go.

Both men in the room smiled at seeing her so happy. "Well I think the others are a bit busy but you can go right at this moment, just look up for the new information in the data base in the Teleportation room and it will take you right there."

Blink still looked ecstatic and looked to her boyfriend. "Can we go? Please?" She begged him and there was no way he could say no to that face. He sighed and got up and nodded, he had a few reservations mainly due to the fact that he had read up on Sabretooth, in most realities he was a major villain but in her reality he wasn't. That and the fact he never had to meet the father of someone he was dating before and it made him a little nervous, of course who her adopted father was didn't help matters but he didn't show it.

Blink opened a portal to the Teleportation Room and they both quickly took a Recall Device from their place on a wall and attached them. Blink looked over the console and tapped the Star Trek like surface of the interface and found the new entry marked for her. She set the computer and took Vince's hand and led him to the slightly raised surface of the platform. Soon the device kicked in and in a flash of whit light they found themselves in a green forest

They looked around and could hear sounds, like kids playing nearby. The both shared a look and walked on towards the sounds. They came out into a clearing with what looked like a very large wooden house or cabin.

When the kids noticed them they all froze and then ran for the large house. The two adults gave each other a questioning look. "Why are they afraid of us?" Vince asked his girlfriend and leader.

Blink remembered what these kids had been through, a lot like what she had gone through at their age. She remembered being taken from her family and home at a young age and taken to Sinister's breeding camp where she had been experimented on and she knew when she was older most likely would have been put into a selective breeding program. Thankfully Mr. Creed had saved her and taken her in.

She had never found her real parents and assumed they were long dead. Victor Creed had become her new 'father' in her life and she learned everything from him. "There just scared of strangers…remember what this world is like."

Vincent thought about what she had told her about her life and about when she and her old team had come here. It was kind of reminiscent of how his own world had been at one point, before it all went completely wrong. "Yeah, I think I can see where they are coming from too."

With that they both walked towards the building and when they were near then a large man with long blond hair came out of the doorway. He gave Vince a nasty look but when he saw Blink his face softened and his eyes opened wide. "Clarice?" He asked her not really sure if he was seeing her or not.

"Hey…dad." She said and then ran to him and hugged him tightly. It took a moment to get over the shock, he had thought he would never see her again and hugged her back.

After a minute Creed looked over at the dark haired man standing there with a small smile on his face looking at Blink and narrowed his eyes. "Who's he?" He asked her seriously.

"Dad, this is Vincent. He's an Exile and my boyfriend."

"Boyfri-I thought you were with that other guy?"

Blink sighed. "That's…a long story…a _lot_ has changed."

After an hour of explaining things Creed had to admit things _had_ changed. He never liked that little bald headed Timebroker and now he had a valid reason. It also made a lot of sense with the things he had to do in the original Weapon X team. Those were memories he wished he didn't have and could take back, the fact they did some pretty nasty stuff didn't help matters that they were tricked into it. But he was glad that her life was better now, so far she seemed to have been given a nice home and a stable living style. Something they had never had even before this whole dimensional traveling thing.

Creed himself had stayed here to look after the kids and especially David Franklin Richards, the child of Franklin Richards and his wife Rachel Summers-Richards. The boy was said to have the power that could end up destroying the planet and he would grow up to raise an army and become this world's worst tyrant and kill off every last human. He had stayed to try and teach that kid right from wrong and also in a way to redeem himself for what he had to do in his life.

The boy was still just a kid but he was quiet at times and had this look in his eyes that Creed had seem a few times…it wasn't a good sign. Now it seemed his 'daughter' could visit him anytime she wanted. That was a true blessing, he missed her terribly and had nearly given up hope of seeing her again.

The new boyfriend however…he wasn't so sure of. He was kind of quiet and his eyes had that thousand-yard stare to them some of the time. So he knew that he had a hard life. He had also seemed a bit uncomfortable and had left the two of them to some alone time. He was wondering where he was at the moment. Sure he was with Clarice but after all these months he was a bit paranoid in keeping the kids safe and he didn't know that man.

"Well that's an interesting tale I'll day that," He told her. "But I'm glad that it seems things are working out…so…where's that boyfriend of yours anyway?" He asked her getting up and looking around.

"Please be nice to him, I really, really like him." Blink begged, even though he never had the chance to be like this with Mimic she really didn't want some testosterone fight to get out between the two men that meant the world to her. They found Vince oddly enough with the kids; they were all seated around him, as he seemed to be telling them a story or something.

Creed furrowed his brow at the sight and Blink giggled a bit at his perplexed expression. "He's good with kids." She simply said to him. They walked over to him but Victor froze, as he picked something up with his hearing. There was a sound in the distance and as it got closer he knew that sound.

"We got company!" He yelled out, he knew it was only a matter of time before the humans found them, "Kids get everyone together now!" The kids ran off to collect the others and spread the news. Sabretooth looked to Clarice. "We need you to take us to a new location."

"How about out of this reality?" She saw him give her a questioning looks and showed her Recall Device. "I can use this to take a group with me…but not all. If Vince and I use them at separate times we should be able to get everyone out of here, besides if I just take you all to a new location then they'll just find you all again."

"Alright, you take the first group and I'll stay behind with the second." He told her sternly.

"What! No you're not, Vince can take the first group." She argued with him.

"No, you're going first." Vincent said seriously. "I can take care of myself and besides we'll need you to get us out of any mess that we get into." She was about to protest when he asked her gently cupping her face. She looked into those eyes and knew that he wasn't going knowing he was leaving her behind.

"You get hurt and I'm kicking your ass…you know that?" She told him and he smiled and nodded. Blink had split the group up into two and got the first group ready. She was about to press the button when they all heard the noise. They saw several military helicopters coming and several Sentinels.

Creed saw Vince's eyes turn crimson with energy and his hands too, he asked him what was up. He only had one simple answer. "I…_hate_…Sentinels."

Blink managed to transport themselves away just as a Sentinel landed where she had been, but this caused the other kids to scatter. "Creed! I'll deal with the robots, get the kids ready!" Mayhem yelled out before flying off and gave a powerful punch caving in the head of the mutant-hunting robot. Creed wasn't going to argue the point.

A few troop transports landed while Vincent tried to keep them all occupied. He fought off Sentinels and fired massive energy attacks at the vehicles and troops trying to discourage them. Sabretooth had to deal with a few of the troops themselves as they made for a grab of the children. He roared out and unleashed his fury on them. The place was turned into a war zone and Vincent took a chance and looked around, it seemed Sabretooth had gathered the kids together but then he noticed one blond boy out in the open near the middle of the enemy forces just standing there staring.

"Kid move!" Vincent yelled out to a small boy who was standing staring in horror as the remaining Sentinels and troops moved in.

Images of these things and of these kinds of people attacking his parents, seeing them die defending him. His father and mother's broken bodies just lying there on the ground filled his mind. "No…" Was the only thing young David said before something inside him snapped.

"NOOOO!" He yelled out and there was a blinding light as a giant energy wave came out of the boy, there were the sounds of explosions and screams. But it wasn't until a minute after that when Mayhem shook his head. He found himself on the ground and looked around. All around the body of the young boy was scorched and there was a giant burnt path in front of him.

He looked around and saw Creed and the remaining children. They locked eyes and then moved over to David. He was out like a light and his clothing was shredded, but that wasn't what really caught their gaze. In front of the boy's sleeping form was the wreckage of the Sentinels, vehicles and burnt bodies of all the troops. They were all dead.

Creed picked up the young boy and they both went back to the huddled children not saying a word to each other. The gave one last look at the carnage and at the small boy who cased it and Vince just pressed his recall device taking the last of the children with him to the Complex.

**-2 Days Later-**

Everyone was in the vehicle bay of the Complex helping the kids into a large transport vehicle. The other Exiles were having some trouble keeping all the kids together and Morph was doing his best to entertain them.

Guardian had set up an orphanage with the help of one of the city mayors in New Port City; it was the closest city from both the Complex and New Haven City. There Creed had agreed to look after the kids with some help from Guardian and others from that city. It would be nice to have a safe place to look after the kids and to be fair all those months the little brats had grown on him, although he would never admit it.

He was hugging Clarice goodbye but thankfully now they would be in contact now and they could visit each other too. "I want you to take care kid alright?"

"Don't I always?"

He gave a snort and she punched him in the arm for that then he looked over at a certain long-haired Canadian. He had to admit the boy could take care of himself and seeing him with the kids over he past few days he showed a deep heart that he seemed to hide for the most part. He walked over and towered over the man but he didn't flinch. "Alright listen up, you seem like a decent enough guy…but if you hurt her in any way I will come after you and I will tare you to pieces." He gave a small growl for effect.

"Fair enough." Vince simply said although he was sure he would carry out that threat no matter what.

Creed nodded his head and went to the transport and stopped besides Blink and sighed. "You really think that guy knows someone that can help that kid?" After seeing him lose control like he did, Creed had to wonder if the boy could be saved at all. After that day David had fell unconscious for a whole day and didn't remember anything about what he had done.

Guardian had did a few examinations and had said his powers had manifested from the stress of it all and his powers were slowly coming into being sooner then expected for someone like him. He had said that there might be one person he knew that could look after the boy in a place where no one could find him or get to him.

Creed didn't want to leave the boy out of his sight but he had to admit that he didn't know how to handle the kid and his powers.

Blink placed a hand on his arm. "I'm sure he can, he does this kind of thing for a long time now. Trust me, he'll be left in good hands."

**-Dimension SGP0234, AKA Stargate Universe-**

The Guardian named Adam was now in his usual black coat and clothing minus the sword of course. The 'person' he was about to meet wasn't one for weapons. He was standing in front of what looked like a Buddhist temple of some kind. He left his boots off and was walking barefoot on the stone path. The place looked much like its predecessor on the planet Kheb. It was a nice and tranquil place with in a lush green valley.

Next to him was the young David Franklin Richard boy, the one that was supposed to have enough power to destroy a planet inside him that would one day be released. He felt sorry for the boy, he lost his parents and was thrown into that concentration camp all because he wasn't 'human'. Now with the seed of darkness planted in his heart he was a danger to the universe.

He guessed the Circle had wanted to Exiles to kill him because he was going to ruin some plan they had for that world but now he knew of only one person that could help.

"What are we doing here?" The young blond boy asked him.

"I have a friend here who will look after you," He saw the boy tense up, he knew that the last person that said would take care of him didn't, although it wasn't Mr. Creed's fault at that they were attacked. While walking up he saw a young boy with a shaved head in monk robes. "Hey why don't you go and say hi to him."

"Who is he?" The young boy looked at him.

"Hopefully a new friend for you, let's just say that he knows what your going through." The boy looked uncertain but walked on anyway. Adam knew that child was the Hueresis, a boy with all the knowledge of an evil alien race in his mind. Fortunately his protector and teacher helped him not to be overcome with the minds of a thousand individuals that were just as bad as Hitler, Stalin, Genghis Khan, and others.

He felt her presence immediately and turned to a majestic glowing being of white energy. It was one of the Ascended, one named Oma Desala. The energy formed a beautiful female face just so that he had a face to talk to. Adam smiled at her and nodded his head to the boy. "You think you can help him? Teach him not to be taken over by the darkness that has taken root in his heart and soul?"

Oma looked at the boy and she could sense the darkness there but there was also light in his heart to help balance it out. She looked back at the man and gave a small smile and nodded to him.

Adam sighed to himself and bowed to her. "Thank you, I figured if anyone could truly help him you could." Without another word Oma flew over to the two young boys. He knew that the Hueresis child had already ascended and the human form was mainly for show and interaction. Soon the boy would also ascend and not just in body but his mind and soul would be free in a way that many would never know.

Adam turned away hearing the laughter of two children and smiled. That was a sound he missed in his life, it reminded him of his own kids and he felt that familiar pain of loss in his heart. But there was also the feeling that David would live a _very_ long and peaceful life. And that was more then what most people had.

* * *

**NEXT UP CHAPTER 27: HAIL TO THE BLACK KING BABY**

_Morph becomes the Black King to Rahne's Black Queen. The former White King might have something to say about that though… _

**(1) As seen in Uncanny New Mutants, Chapter 28 by The Uncanny R-Man.**

**(2) One of a few Stargate SG-1 references here folks**


	27. Hail to the Blabk King Baby!

** The New Exiles**

**By The Uncanny R-Man And Agent-G**

_**Shout Outs-**_

Episodic: Well you might find out later who the White King is, and it's nice to see another Stargate fan. Hope that works out for you and your fics.

B-master: Thanks, and I haven't thought about it I have thought of them going to my AGU series at one point but I never considered that other one, I'll think on it.

Silver Warrior: Well I'm glad you like it even though you're not familiar with a lot, and I'm glad you liked my OC so much. Yeah I'm thinking of them showing up in the AGU series at one point.

Aaron: Well you never know for the future, I may or may not get back to David, kind of hard to tell I got no plans for that.

Thanks to: X-Over, Ruby631, Damn-my-name-was-taken

* * *

**The Hellfire Dimension-**

Morph was in bed having a post-coital snuggle with Rahne Sinclair, the Black Queen of the Hellfire Club and the former New Mutant known as Wolfsbane. Although their lovemaking was as passionate as ever, Rahne noticed that Morph didn't seem in to it all that much. He was always so passionate, not so today.

"Morph, what's up baby?" Rahne asked as she kissed Morph on the top of his head. "Is there somethin' up?"

"I'm fine sweetie, honest." Morph replied. "I'm fine."

"It's just that ye seemed a little… anxious." Rahne said. "Shall I ask Kitty tae join us?" She gave him a lecherous smile with that.

"Nah, that's alright thanks." Morph replied.

Rahne narrowed her eyes slightly; something must be wrong for Morph to turn down sex with both Kitty and Rahne. Rahne was determined to find out what the problem was…

"Dinnae ye give me that." The young Scot growled slightly. "I know there's somethin' up, ye cannae hide it from me. I'll find it out soon enough."

Morph sighed reluctantly and looked Rahne in the eye, there was really no way to hide anything from her. "Why are you with me?" Morph asked seriously. "Is it just for the sex or is it something more?"

Rahne took Morph's face in her hands and looked him straight in the eye. "To tell ye the truth, at first I was in it just f'r the sex but now… I've never felt for anybody the same way I feel for you."

"Don't get me wrong." Morph said caressing her cheek. "I love spending time with you but the only time that we seem to spend together is in bed."

"I understand what yuir sayin'." Rahne replied. "But I really do feel for ye and I wantae prove it… I want ye tae be my Black King."

Morph blinked a few times in confusion and sat up straight. "W-wait a minute, you want me to be your Black King?" Morph asked, trying to get his head around the whole situation.

"Yup." Rahne nodded with a smile although she was a bit nervous, she hadn't felt this nervous since her old days as a New Mutant before she 'grew-up' out of that shy phase. But Morph had captured her heart and she was afraid he might say no.

"Let me think about it…" Morph replied. "Okay!"

A huge smile spread on Rahne's face as she grabbed Morph in a huge hug, squeezing him tight. She had never been so happy in her life at that moment. "I'll just go an' get eveythin' prepared for yuir coronation…"

Morph just smiled, as Rahne hurried got dressed. Then an idea occurred to him. 'Hang on, if I'm gonna be the Black King, and she's the Black Queen, does that mean that we're engaged?' Morph thought to himself. 'I have to get a ring…'

**Exiles Complex-**

Vince and Jono were walking through one of the many corridors of the Complex. They stopped as they saw Morph practicing his royal wave. He had morphed himself a crown and a fur-lined cape.

"Uh Morph, are you alright?" Vince asked blinking a few times seeing him like this, it was strange…even for him.

"Yeah, what's up with the royal wave?" Jono added equally perplexed.

"You peasants wouldn't believe me if I told you." Morph sniffed trying to sound like royalty but not exactly pulling it off. "No would you kindly leave my presence? I require some time to prepare."

"All right I'll bite," Vince said. "Prepare for what?"

"For my coronation, what else?" Morph replied, looking at the Canadian samurai as if he had grown another head. Vince and Jono just looked at each other with dumbstruck expressions.

"Rahne's broke him." Jono sighed palming his face, he knew that girl would break him eventually, one of the drawbacks to having his new telepathic powers was the occasional stray thought hit him and what he picked up from those two a few times he wasn't sure to ask Guardian for a mind wipe or try them out with Erotica.

"Yeah." Vince agreed. "His poor fragile little mind has finally been shattered by that girl, but I bet it was a nice way to go."

"You won't be so eager to make fun once I become Black King, you mark my words." Morph sniffed as he wrapped his cape around himself. "Now I must bid you adieu…"

Vince and Jono just watched after Morph as he departed with a swoosh of his cape. "Hunh. Morph as the Black King." Vince snorted. "I guess stranger things have happened, hell they have been since I joined up."

"Yeah, whatever next? Gwen Stacy becoming Scourge of the Underworld and Selene dating the Thing?" Jono chuckled. Vince just laughed out loud at that and continued walking along the corridor.

**The Hellfire Dimension-**

The Exiles were all gathered in the main ballroom of the Hellfire Club waiting for the man of the moment to arrive. Everybody was dressed to the nines in their best suits and dresses. The guys were all dressed in tuxedos while the ladies were dressed in slinky cocktail dresses. There were even a few celebrities dotted about.

August was in a backless dress with a single strap over her left shoulder and was even talking to the Governor of California while her date, Kurt, was off talking to some of the mutants in Hellfire Club he knew in his own reality.

"I've got to say; I really love your films. Especially the action stuff from the Eighties. Classic. Okay, your so-called comedy films sucked but then again, who can really pull off decent comedy nowadays?" She babbled on and then August's attention was caught by Heather waving her over.

"If you'll excuse me, Mr Governor." August nodded. "I'll be back…"

Meanwhile, Dare and April had staked out the snack tables. "I really have to commend Rahne on these shrimp puffs." Dare said, her mouth full with the delicacies, she had on long red gloves to match her dress. "These are the best I've ever tasted…"

April just nodded and sipped her glass of champagne; she was still kind of a light weight when it came to alcohol. "She certainly knows how to throw a good party." The gravity-manipulating mutant replied seeing all the guests. "I'd better watch how much I drink though, I might get a little frisky…"

"I'll keep that in mind." Dare said, a cheeky smile spreading across her face. Dare's attention was then caught by the Stepford Cuckoos walking past, clad in the usual Hellfire attire of revealing lingerie.

"Hello salty goodness…" Dare drooled as she cocked her head and watched the blonde telepaths saunter past.

"Excuse me, I am right here y'know." April said, swatting her friend on the arm. "Besides aren't they a little young for you?"

Dare snapped out of it and turned back to April and a slow grin spread on her face. April fidgeted uncomfortably under Dare's gaze; she didn't like how her friend was looking at her. "I wonder if those Hellfire outfits are for sale?" Dare asked as she tried to imagine what April would look like dressed in Hellfire attire.

April blushed a bit, sure they were in the heavy kissing and heavy petting part of their relationship but she hadn't gone that far with her yet and was nervous about it. "Shrimp puff?" April asked, swiftly changing the subject.

Jono was trying to find his girlfriend in the crowd; so far he saw a few familiar faces like Heather with James talking to a few people with August and Kurt. He walked a bit and then found her. "Hey luv there you are."

She blond turned around and blinked a few times. "Excuse me? Do I know you?"

"Quite kidding luv."

"Jono, I'm over here." Jono quickly turned around to see another Erotica Jones and quickly looked back between the two of them, the other 'Erotica' was just as surprised to see a woman that looked just like her with the same black dress.

"Hi I'm Erotica Jones…you must be Pamela Anderson, right?" Erotica said extending her hand as the ex-Baywatch star took it, still in shock at seeing this 'twin' of hers.

"Uh…yes I am." Pamela said a bit surprised. As they started talking Jono looked between the two of them and for a moment his mind wondered at the possibility of having two of these girls but quickly shook that thought away as he was introduced as Erotica's boyfriend and he just had to ask her what David Hasselhoff was really like.

Over with Blink, who was in a very nice green dress with a V-neck line and two slits that showed off her legs, was Vince in a very nice black tux that showed his frame very well. The pair was currently talking with Captain America and the Scarlet Witch, both in a tux and a red silk dress respectively.

"Wow, I can't believe you two are together, Wanda." Blink said. "In whatever reality I've been to, you've always been with the Vision or Wonder Man, I think."

"Well, Simon and the Vision are still close friends." Wanda replied but then linked her arm with Steve's. "But Steve and I have something more. I don't know what, but we have it."

"Well it's certainly nice to see a version of the Scarlet Witch being happy." Vince said he had seen and read the history of many important people in the Complex Libraries. "Y'know, after all the crap you've been through."

"Yeah, a nice guy will do that for you." Wanda nodded, a happy smile gracing her lips. "Who knows what would've happened if Steve and I hadn't found each other? Going postal and destroying Avengers mansion?"

"Yeah, like there's a chance of that happening." Blink chuckled.

"This teammate of yours is lucky to be named Black King." Cap said. "I know several people that would give their left arm to take his lace."

"I hope you're not talking form personal experience, Steven." Wanda jokingly teased him.

"Oh, of course not." Cap said, holding his hand sup in defence. "I only have eyes for you."

"Aww, isn't that sweet?" Blink cooed as she laid her head on Vince's shoulder. "So, when's the wedding?" Wanda tired to hide her laughter at Cap's horror-struck expression as the Sentinel of Liberty began to sputter.

Everybody turned as one as Danielle Moonstar, the Black Bishop, took the stage. "Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed guests, the coronation is about to start, if you would follow me to the throne room?"

The Exiles and the other guests followed Dani and the rest of the members of the Hellfire Club to the throne room and took their seats.

A burst of fanfare announced the arrival of the Black Queen and her soon-to-be King. Everybody turned to see Morph now all in black, being led towards the throne with Rahne on his arm. The shapeshifter seemed to be getting into the part well, his head was held high and he was giving everybody the royal wave like he was a real monarch.

The entourage stopped in front of the pair of thrones and Morph knelt down while a Sam Guthrie handed Rahne the sword that the Hellfire Club used for coronations.

"Kevin Sidney, do you vow to rule the Hellfire Club with an even hand, ensure that mutants and humans will live in equality, to combat evil wherever it may be, as God is your witness?" Rahne asked.

"I do." Morph replied.

"Do you swear to use the Hellfire Club's resources for the good of mutant and mankind alike in equality?" Rahne asked again.

"I do." Morph replied.

Illyana Rasputin handed Rahne a jewel-encrusted crown and sceptre. Rahne carefully placed the crown on Morph's head and the sceptre in his hand. "Then I hereby crown you Black King, may you reign forever in peace."

Morph took the hand that Rahne offered him and stood up. "Long live the Black King!" Everybody chimed. "Long live the Black King!"

Morph smiled at the reaction and held Rahne's hand. The young Scot looked at her newly crowned Black King and held him close as she planted a loving kiss on his lips.

The kiss wasn't to last however as somebody burst in through the doors. The guards leapt in to protect their Queen but they were soon subdued. "My my, what a lovely coronation." A smarmy voice said. "Such a pity that it had to be cut short."

"Pierce!" Rahne hissed. "Ye'll pay f'r this!"

"I think not, m'dear." Donald Pierce, former White King replied with a smarmy grin as he walked into the room as if he owned the place. He was a man who had exchanged his body parts for adamantium cyborg parts. "How did you expect to hold a coronation without me? I'm hurt."

"You'll be more than hurt if you don't leave, buddy." Vince snarled.

"Oh, you're a new one." Pierce said a she looked the Canadian up and down. "You're still a filthy mutant."

Vince bristled at that but Blink laid her hand on his shoulder, preventing him from doing anything. "Let's not do anything drastic." Blink whispered. "We don't want any unnecessary violence."

Pierce took the stage and addressed the guests. "Ladies and gentlemen, for those of you that don't know, I am Donald Pierce, the rightful ruler of the Hellfire Club…"

"Bull!" Morph hissed. "Even back in Selene's day you were nothing but a pony tailed lackey. You were nothing!" Pierce motioned to one of his soldiers and Morph was brutally butted on the back of the head.

"Morph, no!" Rahne yelled. "I'll kill ye f'r this, Pierce!"

Pierce didn't flinch as Rahne wolfed out and leapt at him, fangs bared. The cybernetic former White King merely swatted her aside, sending her crashing against the wall. He then stepped up to the stunned werewolf and held out his hand as his fingers extended into claws.

"I don't think you will, dear." Pierce replied a she savagely stabbed Rahne in the gut.

"You bastard!" Morph yelled, struggling with the guards that held him steady. "I'll rip your heart out!" Seeing Rahne bleeding both angered him and terrified him. He had lost too many people in his life that he cared for and he didn't want to lose the woman he loved.

"Better men have died trying." Pierce replied a she cleaned Rahne's blood off his hands.

Morph just let out a bellow of rage and threw the guards away form him. "Piece, your ass is mine!" And with that, the room was plunged into chaos as everybody leapt to attack, Pierce's soldiers and Hellfire guests alike. Pierce, being a coward at heart decided to flee. Morph followed.

"Somebody take care of Rahne!" Morph ordered. The Stepford Cuckoos obeyed the order and hurried her to medical attention while Morph pursued Pierce.

The catacombs below the Hellfire Club- 

Pierce was running through the catacombs below the Hellfire Club. Well, by the catacombs I mean the sewers. "I used to own this damn place, surely I can find a way out…" Pierce said to himself as he tried to retrace his steps.

"Havin' a little bit o' trouble, bub?" A voice growled from the darkness.

Pierce froze in terror at the sound of the voice. "Y-you're not Wolverine…" Pierce said his voice slightly strained with fright.

"Okay, cheap shot." Morph shrugged as he leapt down to the ground. "A lot like this one…" Morph slugged Pierce on the chin, knocking him to the ground.

"You can't possibly defeat me, mutie." Pierce sneered as his fingers elongated into claws again. "The beauty of adamantium."

"Good job I got these spiffy new gauntlet then, huh?" Morph said as he slipped on some kind of hi-tech gloves that were one of the gifts one of the guests had placed on a table with other ones. He grabbed them on his way out while chasing him. "You ever heard of anti-metal? It's the only stuff that can cut through adamantium."

'You're bluffing…" Pierce replied.

"Only one way to find out…" Morph said as he unsheathed the gauntlet's claws. "Ain't that right, bub?"

Pierce just sneered and extended his hand as a cloud of blue dust flew into Morph's face, causing the shapeshifter to burst into a fit of coughs. "Impossible, those nannites should be dissolving your body as we speak."

"I'm immune, numb nuts." Morph replied as he rubbed his eyes. "But they smell horrible if that helps…"

Pierce just let out a bellow of rage and slashed at Morph with his claws. Morph just stood there with a bored expression on his face and brought his claws down onto Pierce's hand, cutting it off at the wrist, eliciting a scream of pain form the cyborg.

"Hunh, looks like I wasn't bluffing." Morph sniffed.

"It's merely a scratch." Pierce hissed. "I can still kill you!"

"Enough with the Monty Python." Morph said. "Just give up, or do you want me to rip you to shreds?"

"Filthy mutant!" Pierce bellowed.

"Shreds it is then…" Morph replied as he leapt in to attack.

**Later-**

Back in the throne room, the Exiles had subdued Pierce's soldiers along with the Hellfire Club and a few of the guest and were also seeing to Rahne. One of the White Rooks, Elixir, had healing powers so he quickly used them to heal Rahne's wounds before she bled to death. His quick thinking saved Rahne's life, but she was still a little weak from the ordeal. Heather was keeping an eye on her just in case.

"Jono, are you getting anything form Morph?" Blink asked.

"He's still alive if that's what yer askin'." Jono replied. "Oh hang on, he's just comin'…"

As if in reply, a sombre Morph walked into the room with Pierce's disembodied head in his hands. "Is Rahne okay?" He asked worriedly.

"Yeah, she's okay." Heather replied. "Elixir here saved her life with his healing touch."

"She's just a little woozy." Elixir the gold-skinned teen said. "Nothing a little rest won't help."

Morph nodded and handed Pierce's head to a random servant. "Make sure SHIELD gets this, we don't want Pierce popping up again." The servant nodded and toddled off to find Nick Fury.

"Well this party was fun." Dare said muttered looking at her ruined dress; she had really liked this one too.

"Yeah, if by fun you meant lots of gratuitous violence and property damage." Heather replied, fixing her own garment as best she could.

Exiles Complex, a few days later- 

Rahne had more or less recovered form her ordeal at Donald Pierce's hands and was in the garden waiting for Morph. He had told her that he had something important to tell her.

Rahne didn't have very long to wait as Morph soon walked over to her. "Hey sweetie, ye wanted tae see me?" Rahne asked as she kissed Morph on the cheek.

"Yeah, it's important." Morph replied as he sat down and took Rahne's hands in his. "Rahne, ever since the stuff with the Darksider, I've been thinking. All that stuff with Pierce only cemented my feelings for you. What I'm trying to say is that I have never felt like this about anybody before. Rahne, I love you."

Rahne's jaw dropped as she saw Morph take out a small velvet box. "I-is this…?" Rahne whispered.

"Just open it up." Morph replied, keeping his expression neutral.

Rahne struggled to open the velvet box as her hands were shaking so much but she soon managed it. She gasped in surprise as she saw the contents of the box, it was a gold ring encrusted with diamonds and emeralds. "I-its beautiful…" Rahne said, tears starting to form in her eyes.

"I'm not big on romantic speeches so I'll get straight to the point." Morph said. "Marry me?"

A huge smile just spread on Rahne's face as she grabbed Morph in a huge hug. "Of course I'll marry ye, ye stupid bloody spaleen!" Rahne said, tears of happiness streaming down her face.

"Rahne. Oxygen. Need oxygen." Morph choked. Rahne blushed and let Morph go. Morph looked into Rahne's eyes and smiled happily at her as he slipped the ring onto her finger.

"C'mon, let's go tell the others." Morph said as he helped Rahne up and kissed her on the cheek. "I think they'll be happy to hear the news…"

* * *

**Next up Chapter 27: Two Parties and a Wedding**


	28. Two Parties and a Wedding

The New Exiles 

**By The Uncanny R-Man And Agent-G**

_**Shout Outs-**_

Episodic: That's alright and I hope to see what you come up with later, hope you enjoy the guys and girls partying and the wedding.

Jenskott: Glad you enjoy this fic.

Damn-my-name-was-taken: There most likely are Black and White Knights somewhere, and there is also a Red branch somewhere too.

Silver Warrior: Oh so that's what you meant, Morph and _Selene_! You meant Rahne right?

Aaron: Well most of your questions will be answered in this chapter I hope. Never thought of that we are not amused bit, I'll have to remember that for later. Glad you liked the pairings and everything and the inside jokes too.

Ruby: Well Pierce is a cyborg maybe his head is still alive hence what he said about him coming back.

Thanks to: X-Over, Red Witch.

* * *

**Chapter 28: Two Parties and a Wedding**

It was time for Morph's Bachelor and Rahne's Bachelorette party. The girls were having it at the Hellfire Club since Rahne wanted the wedding at the Complex gardens since she didn't want anyone ruining her wedding like Pierce had ruined the ceremony with Morph's Black King coronation. The girls were wishing their men, or those that had them, well seeing as Erotica had given the boys a free pass for a special show at the Tender Loins.

"Now just remember boys, you can look and drink but if you bring any girls home then you are in serious trouble." August said to them all. Currently Kurt, Vincent, Jono, James and Morph were all well aware of what would happen to them if their significant others found them with strippers.

"Only if you girls hold the same promise to us." Morph said to Rahne and the other women.

"Nae worry aboot it sweaty, ye know yuir the only one fer me." The red head said giving her soon to be husband a deep kiss. The other women did the same to their own men to give them a reminder of what they had.

The ladies made their way to the teleportation room as the men headed towards the vehicle bay but were stopped by Alfred. "May I make a plea with you all?"

The others looked at each other and shrugged. "Okay…what?" Jono asked the AI hologram.

"I was wondering if you would take Guardian with you, he hasn't been out in ages and I do mean ages," Alfred sighed as his shoulders sagged. "He really needs to get out once and awhile."

"You know I think he's right," Morph said to the others. "I mean after all he's letting us hold the wedding here and everything else too."

"Yeah and even immortals needs to have a good time now and then." Vincent agreed.

James nodded his head as well, "I'll have to agree too but how do we convince him to go with us? He's kind of a workaholic and how do you convince a man that is older, wiser and more powerful then the rest of us?"

"Leave that to me." Morph grinned at them all as a plan formed as they made their way to his personal chambers. They rarely ever visited him there since he was usually doing something but it was kind of like walking into a museum and an office instead of a home.

There were objects hanging all over the place and photos and the equivalent of those there as well, usually showing him with other people. There was him in WW I & II gear and even one that said WW III in the caption. Of him as a doctor, teacher and other jobs you would never know it had been him. It was apparent that sometimes he would live more normal lives while helping out in those roles, as no one never knew who or what he truly was.

At the moment he was at his crystal-topped desk overlooking a few files and with a few books open doing a little research. He heard them come in and was wondering why they were stopping by since he knew they wanted to celebrate Morph's last days as 'a free man' as it were. He smiled remembering his own Bachelor party all those centuries ago and a few others he attended for his friends. He looked up at the desk and saw Morph take the lead. He also took notice of the new uniform he had been wearing ever since becoming Black King. It was like his old one now black and the blue with white replaced the yellow.

"Say boss man let me ask you something," Morph started out leaning on the desk. "When was the last time you got out and had some fun?"

Guardian looked at Morph and the others. "Okay, first off who put you up to this and you're trying to get me to go with you guys aren't you?"

The others gave each other looks, they should have known he would see through Morph so easily but James stepped forward. "Okay it was Alfred that asked us," He heard Guardian muttered something about pesky AI's and something about reprogramming but went on. "Look you can stay here and work but it will still be here, you need to at least have fun once and awhile right?"

"Yeah I mean what's the point of living forever unless you don't have fun now and then?" Vincent said throwing his own two cents in.

"Besides," Morph said with a smile. "We won't leave you alone until you do I mean we could get beers and a karaoke machine up here and party here." Guardian was about to say that he wouldn't dare but looking at the mischievous face told him otherwise. He sighed in defeat, he knew they just meant well and it couldn't hurt he guessed if he took one night off for himself. It wasn't like the multiverse would collapse.

"Alright, you win." He said standing up. "So…where are we going?"

**-Hellfire Club-**

The girls for their part were all sitting on cushions in a special room of the Hellfire Club that looks like something out of a novel about a sultan and his harem only the women were that masters here. There were plenty of drinks as they were joined by Kitty Pryde, Dani Moonstar, Amara Aquilla and Illyana Rasputin who were part of Rahne's friends and also clad in the usual Hellfire 'uniforms' that the females wore.

Others were there serving them like Colossus, Doug Ramsey, Sam Guthrie and other male members were serving the women in chip n' dales type clothing. Although Illyana wasn't too happy seeing her brother like that she mainly kept her eyes on the other men anyway.

"Jeez Rahne you know how to party," Heather said only slightly slurred from the drinks she had been taking. "Although I feel a little guilty around here I mean after about a year away from James it's hard to let him out of my sight, I keep thinking that maybe I'll lose him again."

April patted her on the shoulder, "Don't worry about that I mean you got your husband again."

"Yeah and now you won't be the only married couple at the Complex anymore either," Dare said who couldn't help but look more at the women around them in the Hellfire Club clothing, April rolled her eyes and let her indulge just as long as she looked and didn't touched.

"I have to wonder though Rahne, what will you ever do on your honeymoon?" Dani asked her queen, "Since you and the king must have done it all by now."

"Oh we will think of something, I mean the sex will nae get boring with a man that can change all his body." Rahne laid back and smiled.

"Oh yeah." Kitty admitted and the others looked at her with a questioning look. "Um…Rahne and me had a little…fun, with Morph a few times." She blushed.

"Okay WAY too much information!" Blink shouted out.

"Well then what about the rest of you girls I bet you could tell a few stories on your men." Amara said throwing her long blond hair over a shoulder. "What about that cute man with the dark hair I saw you with Blink?"

Clarice blushed a bit, "Well…he's a very attentive lover…plus let's just say that super strength and speed come in real handy sometimes in the bedroom." The other girls laughed and took a drink.

"Yeah Jono is very nice too," Erotica sighed at the time they spend together. "Plus that accent of his is just so sexy."

"Yeah a man with an accent is just so sexy," August nodded and thought of her Kurt and Kitty nodded as well looking over at Colossus and grinned at the sight of the tall Russian. "Plus a tail a few feet long helps too." August amended and that just sent to women into another fit of giggles.

Just then a giant cake was wheeled in. "Oh looks like the real party is startin'." Rahne said with a grin. Soon several men came out of the cake all very good looking and started to strip for the women who started to cheer them on, with the exception of Dare and April but Rahne had thought of that and a pair of twin women also came and gave the two ladies their own show. Dare was into it while April blushed deep red the entire time.

**-Tender Loins-**

The boys arrived at the club that Erotica worked at, it had been closed down for the private party as the men threw away their inhibitions for once. Even Vince and Guardian were letting themselves loose a bit. "You know…maybe this was a good idea after all." Guardian said with his drink, "The last time I was at something like this was the Ysh'itsta celebration at Torvinian IV."

"What's that?" Morph asked him curious.

Guardian scratched the back of his head. "Well you see on that planet that is their celebration of life…basically it's a three day party filled with nothing but sex, drinks and food."

Morph's mouth dropped, "And you tell me this now?"

Guardian sighed as he explained. "There's a reason for that Morph, it's none stop and if you do stop the ones that fall asleep or are caught resting are punished and not in a good way, because they feel it's an affront to life and they take that very seriously."

"How…uh…seriously?"

"You do not want to know, I mean my friend dragged me to that thing and didn't tell me until after it started what it was all about. If I had tried to leave well…humans might have been banned for life from them and that would have ruined relations between both planets."

"Jeez tough crowd." Jono said who had been listening in during the conversation.

Meanwhile Vince and James being a couple of Canadians were trying to see who could take more drinks then the other. There was a table between the two of them at Vince's left and James right with a few beers. Vince was taking a drink when a familiar voice spoke to him. "Well tan my hide, look who came back," Came a sweet southern voice and he saw it was Giselle, the red headed girl with pig tails and in low cut jean shorts and tied up yellow top.

She walked over to him and sat down on his lap. "Hello darlin' Ah was hoping y'all would show up again. Ya want a lap dance darlin'?" She said smiling at him and grinded her hips into him.

Vincent even slightly drunk knew that this was a bad idea and was getting uncomfortable. "Uh…sorry but if Erotica didn't mention it I'm taken and I don't want to cheat on her and this counts to me…sorry you're a lovely woman and I'm flattered…but I can't go against my heart."

She frowned and nodded and got off. "That's alright…how about your friend here?"

James held up his gold ring on his finger. "I got a wife that can turn into a giant white creature that could tear me limb form limb…so no thanks."

Just then the speaker system came to life. "Gentlemen put your hands together for our newest act, they great duo themselves…Felicia Hardy and Selena Kyle, AKA Black Cat and Catwoman!" They all watched as both cat clad women in cat suits that were slightly modified from their normal suits as the two former thieves started a sensual dance together.

"Jeez…never thought I would bloody see this…fantasized sure but never see it." Chamber muttered to himself seeing the two women start their routine. Kurt was next to him and even he couldn't help but swallow hard at the scene.

**-Complex, the morning after-**

It was in the personal kitchen of the resident areas when the women came stumbling in, mainly going for the coffee for their morning headaches and other aches since at the moment Blink, August, Heather were in large T-shirts that belonged to their respective others. After both groups had returned home they were all drunk and frisky as well.

"Oh god…what did we do last night?" August muttered. "I barely remember what happened after the strippers and then there was this bit with Kurt last night."

"A lot of drinking and a lot of sex I think," Heather said drinking her coffee. "I think I'll swing by the med bay had have Doc give me a little something to get rid of the after effects."

"Oh god they got something for that here?" Blink asked her, "Damn…does he have anything for sore muscles too?"

Just then Erotica Jones walked in with messy hair and saw the women there. "Oh…hi…coffee ready?" They gave her a cup as she sat down her own T-shirt barely going all the way down to her hips. "Some night huh?" She said and the other girls agreed.

Morph walked in whistling like it was just a normal day not even looking at the nearly naked women and going for some coffee and getting some breakfast. "I'll be gone in a bit girls, Rahne needs some coffee and breakfast while she's sleeping off last night."

It was also at that moment that Giselle walked in a robe. "Oh…uh…hi?" She said a little uncertain and totally sober.

"What are you doing here!" Erotica shouted and regretted it immediately as did the other women.

"Well…I, uh…came here with someone." She said blushing.

The other women counted off their men and knew there wasn't a single man on the team and none of them could remember being with anyone other then their significant others, at least as far as they could remember and a few of them were wondering just what the hell happened last night when Felecia and Selena also walked in with robes on.

"Hey did you get the food?" Selena asked.

Felecia nodded, "Yeah after last night we need the food if we want to go back for more." She purred out.

"Uh…who…were you girls with?" Blink asked all three of them just as confused as the other women and then Guardian walked in with cotton pants and a large T-shirt and stopped seeing all the looks he was getting.

"Him." The three women said as one. Morph just stared like the rest of them not believing what they had just heard and Morph's jaw was literally on the floor.

"What?" Guardian shrugged, "I may be old but I'm not dead."

"I'll say." Selena purred out with a finger in her mouth looking at him like a cat would a bird.

Morph put all the things in his arms on a table and fell to his knees in front of him. "You are my new god!" He said and started bowing and chanting 'I'm not worthy' like in that movie Wayne's World.

**-3 Days later-**

It was the wedding day and Morph was in his tux with Jono as his best man. "Feeling nervous mate?" Jono asked him straightening his tie.

"A bit…but to tell the truth I wouldn't want to spend my life with anyone else. I mean I really love this woman and I want to spend the rest of my life with her, have kids you know the whole ball of wax." He said happily, it was true and he ever thought he would have had found love in Rahne Sinclair but this wasn't the Rahne from his world this one was different and had his heart.

He only wished that others like Thunderbird who was still in the coma-like state and Yuriko who fell in battle months ago. It still hurt thinking of his best friend not here, but at least TJ had been brought in and was sitting with her date Rachel. Morph was at the alter that had been brought in to the gardens and could see his former team mate there. She waved to him and he waved back.

It was a beautiful day and they even had a cleric of something called the Order of Light to proceed over the ceremony. Guardian had said that a blessing from them meant good luck and fortune for them and both Rahne and Morph liked that idea and went with it.

Rahne herself was nervous as hell. She was wearing white but had claimed only because of tradition and it would most likely be the only time, besides even as a little girl she wanted a beautiful wedding and when she first came here and saw the gardens she knew she wanted to get married in a place like this. So here she was in a tent jittery as a june bug. Her mother Moira had come in to see her adopted daughter get married, she had met Morph on a few occasions and even though she missed out on the crowning ceremony she wouldn't miss the wedding of her precious little girl. "Calm down lass, soon you will be Mrs. Rahne Sinclair-Sidney." Rahne had wanted to keep her last name and was thankful Morph understood and was supportive of it.

"Aye I know I know, and I love him so much…I'm just getting cold feet 'tis all."

Kitty, her maid of honour, all decked out in a white dress with black trim smirked. "I never thought I would see the day our Queen was so nervous."

Rahne shot her a look and then sighed and took a calming breath. Then she heard the music start off and she was nervous again but failed to show it as she placed here veil over her face and wondered if a nervous bride came up with this idea of a veil. "Well…show time." She said as her bridesmaids from the Hellfire Club followed her out.

The Guardian, Adam now in a tux was waiting outside as he escorted Rahne to the alter, he had been asked to give her away and he accepted. Morph watched her come down that red carpet and it was like a dream, he was afraid that this was all just a dream and he would wake up. 'If this is a dream I hope I never wake up,' He thought to himself. Rahne walked up next to him and placed her veil over her head and Morph never thought she looked lovelier.

"Children of the light," The Cleric began in his white robes. "We are here to witness the joining of two into one. Two hearts into one, two souls into one, two lives into one. These two have pledged themselves to each other in the most intimate and sacred bond of marriage, and I am told they have wrote their own vows so let them begin."

Morph was first up and he looked into those green eyes and smiled as he held her hands in front of him. "Rahne, you are my queen and my love. When I literally fell into your lap it had been a mistake but looking back maybe it was fate and I'm never happier that it happened. You are like no other woman I have ever known. I love everything about you, you're strength, independence, how your eyes are like emeralds. That little smile you get in the morning I love it all and I want to be with you forever. I would cherish you, hold you, love you and I could die for you my love."

There were a few tears from the crowd and even Rahne had been touched by his words as she cleared her throat as she started. "Morph, I've nae met a man like ye either. Ye make me laugh and make me life so much happier. I dinnae ken this but after I met ye I knew that my life had been empty despite all that I had because I had no one by my side. Ye fill a void in my heart and I love ye for that and for being me champion. When ye went after Pierce I knew that you were the one, the one that would truly be my equal to be my king and to be the one love of my life. Ye care for me like no one ever has and I love you more then I have ever loved anyone."

They just looked at each other's eyes there seeing the love in them and a few of the guest were still wiping their eyes with tissues. The Cleric then spoke up, "Before we begin is there anyone here that feels this union should not be pleased?" No one spoke up and so on it went. "The rings please."

Jono pulled out the box with the rings and handed them to Morph as he gave Rahne one of the rings and then slipped on one of the gold bands onto her finger. "With this ring I thee wed."

She slipped her ring onto his finger. "With this ring I thee wed."

"You may now kiss the bride." The cleric said and Morph and Rahne took each other in a passionate kiss as everyone clapped at the new married couple.

At the large dinning hall inside the Complex the reception was being taken. Morph and Rahne fed each other their wedding cake and then had all the women gather together for the bouquet. "Alright lassies here it goes!" She shouted as she threw it over her shoulder as all the unmarried women wanted to catch it. It soared into the air and Clarice managed to catch it, she got a huge smile on her face and gave Vince and little look but was surprised to see him just smile at her.

She grinned wondering if that meant he had been thinking about their future together or not.

The party went on as there was dancing and celebrating. Adam actually had a very good time talking to Moira as they spent most of the time talking together as many had seen and they also seemed to enjoy each other's company. The couples also danced and the celebrations went on until it was time for the newly weds to go on their honeymoon.

It turns out that they were going to spend it on Haven as Adam had a private home up in a quiet place in the middle of nowhere and they gathered themselves up in a limo like flying vehicle as everyone saw them off. Inside the large back seat Rahne was sitting on Morph's lap admiring her ring. "I cannae believe we're married." She said mainly to herself.

"Believe it babe, or should I say wife?"

The rested her head on his shoulder, "Say that again."

Morph smiled and was all for it. "Wife?"

"Aye," She sighed, "I like the sound o' that…how long is this ride?" She said with a grin on her face and when Morph told her that it was a few hours she started to trace a finger on his chest. "Care tae…get me out o' this dress, my husband?" She said in a seductive tone. Morph didn't need to be told twice as he kissed his new wife.

* * *

**UP NEXT: THE BROOD  
**


	29. The Brood

**The New Exiles**

**By The Uncanny R-Man And Agent-G**

_**Shout Outs-**_

Episodic: Hey if you've been busy that's okay at least you reviewed now. I'm thinking of using that information but with my own twist.

Sean Malloy-1: You'll see where they will live later on most likely at the Hellfire Club and Morph will have to commute to the Complex but that's an easy commute. I'll get to the next AGU later I just need to finish off a few things first.

Silver Warrior: Well I'm not sure about the Lockheed thing, and I thought that bit with Guardian and those three was too good to pass up. Yeah the Brood are bad news.

Aaron: Glad you liked that jokes and the parties and with Guardian getting extremely lucky that night. I wanted to do that line for Morph for so long. R-Man would most likely know what you were talking about more since I barely know anything about the Brood.

Ruby: Yeah I thought it was pretty funny too. As for Vince, well you'll see later what happens.

X-Over: JL The Spider and Spider-X sequel will take time.

Thanks to: Red Witch, Jenskott, Draconigeno

* * *

**Chapter 29: The Brood****-Westchester, 2 months ago-  
**  
"Look I'm telling you I saw something land near here," Jubilee a girl of Chinese decent and mutant of the Xavier School said while walking in the woods of the place. Next to her was Kitty Pride AKA Shadow Cat. 

"I know but why did you bring me along for this?"

"Well first off I need someone with brains to help me find out what it is and Beast is too busy for that." The mutant teen said to the slightly older girl.

"Fine but if you've dragged me off to here just for nothing then you'll regret it," They went through the woods for a few minutes more and just when Kitty was about to call it in they found a few trees that seemed to have been shattered. They slowly came to a crater with a large silver object in it. "Okay…this wasn't for nothing, we should get the others."

"Aw, come on Kitty just a bit more," But before Kitty could tell her to stop, she jumped down into the small pit and looked closer at the object wondering if it was Shi'ar, Kree or one of those other aliens that the X-Men had met over the years.

Kitty pulled her back forcefully, "Damn it Jubes you got no idea what that thing is it could be dangerous." Then there was a hissing sound as a section of the pod that wasn't in the dirt slowly opened up. It was pitch black inside and the fact it was night didn't help matters.

Jubilee activated her powers a bit on one finger to give a bit more light and moved closer against Kitty's protests. As soon as she was close to the opening something quickly shot out of it grabbing the young mutant. Kitty heard the girl screaming inside and yelled out to her. Then something large came out of it and Kitty could see in the moonlight something she never wanted to see again.

In their first encounter with these things the team had been infected and nearly died, she never wanted to see them again she turned to ran but hit something solid that wasn't there before and looked up at another one. She screamed once as she felt it grab her and they were but the first to fall under this new attack.

**-New York, a few days ago-**

New York was in dire peril. The remaining Avengers and X-Men were trying desperately to defeat the oncoming onslaught of alien beings but the aliens' numbers were too much for the heroes and they soon found themselves falling underneath the aliens' greater numbers.

"We can't hold them off much longer!" Iron Man said as he blasted away at the aliens with his repulsor blasts. "My suit battery's running low. I can't hold on much longer."

"Hold on for just one more second, Shell Head." Wolverine replied as he slashed at the aliens with his claws. "Cap and the others just need a few seconds more to cut us a way outta here."

Iron Man yelled under the strain as he pushed his armour's batteries to their limits. "You alien freaks aren't going to get me!" He yelled.

"Tony! No!" Logan yelled as the armoured Avenger piled in to the hoard of aliens. But Logan's pleas came too late as Iron Man was soon beaten down by the mass of aliens before him.

"Looks like I'm the last one left." Logan muttered to himself. "Let's see how many of these freaks I can take down before they get me!" And with that, the feral mutant charged at the hoard of aliens with a fierce battle cry.

**Exiles Complex, now-**

The Exiles were sat in the briefing room of the Complex patiently waiting for Guardian to come in and give them their latest mission. Everything had been slow since Morph and Rahne's wedding and the team was eager for action. As well as the core team, Dare and James had joined them recently.

Everybody looked up as the doors swished open and Guardian walked in. "I'm afraid that I will have to get straight to business." Guardian said solemnly. "It seems that a world is in dire peril."

Guardian switched on the holo-projector to show an insectoid alien with six legs, a scaly hide, a two-pronged tail, evil yellow eyes and a mouthful of vicious fangs.

"It seems that this reality has been invaded by the Brood." Guardian explained he saw several members of the original team get uneasy with that. In the past when they had all been split up Mimic had been infected and had caused the death of Mariko Yashida AKA Sunfire.

"The brood is a level Alpha One threat level. Very few species meet this but as some of you know they are very dangerous as they take over sentient beings and if they have powers they can use them as well. This world's heroes tried to put up a fight but the Brood's forces were too much for them. I'm not sure how many heroes survived, if any survived at all. You will all be teleported down to the main headquarters of the Human Resistance located in London."

"Alright back home for me," Jono said he had heard of the Brood from the X-Men in his reality and from Jubilee and knew that these things were nasty and wasn't looking forward to fighting them.

"How did they overwhelm all the heroes?" Blink asked him.

Guardian sighed as he showed them the Xavier Institute, "They infected the X-Men first and put a queen inside of Jean Grey."

"Oh hell," Dare said hearing that, "They had to pick one of the world's most powerful mutants as a host for the queen didn't they?"

"I do have some good news," Adam said and The Doctor came in at that moment with a tray of hyposrpays, "These carry nanites that will act as an immunization for you all."

"You got a cure for Brood infection?" August asked him stunned but she should have known better.

"Not exactly…These attack all Brood cells and DNA. I got this from a few technologies I…'acquired' over the years."

"What you steel these from The Borg?" Vincent asked since he was a major sci-fi fan and since coming here had caught up on all the episodes.

"Well now that you mention it…yes I did," The others didn't know to be impressed or worried that he would steal from a race like that. "I also made these…" he picked up a black case and opened it then handed out some vicious looking weaponry that looked like a P90 only a modified version of them.

"These fire nano-rounds that will 'infect' the Brood and start to kill off their DNA from the host…but there's a catch."

"Isn't there always?" April groaned handling the weapon with ease, she was in her element even though she didn't want to kill again she had read up and various hostile species and the things she had seen and read of the Brood made her sick to think of that Earth in that kind of danger.

"The longer a host is infected with the Brood the more they lose of their own DNA. After a certain amount of time these weapons will not only kill the Brood but the host as well…but the alternative is to let them live being trapped in their monstrous forms as the aliens in control destroy their world…"

That was some choice for them to make. To let a world suffer extinction or try to save the host while killing those that couldn't be saved. "There's more I'm afraid," He showed a star chart as several worlds lit up. "When I check not only was Earth attacked but also a world in Kree, Skull and Shi'Ar space…at the same time."

"Whoa…you mean a planned invasion? Do they do that?" James was staring at the screen at the worlds that looked spread out in almost a circle to him.

Adam shook his head, "No they don't. I traced back the path of a meteorite that crashed on each world and they all seemed to come from this sector of space." The map zoomed in on a section of space. "I think this is where they are coming from and I'm going there to find out what's going on…and to stop it."

James nodded his head, "I got a new battlesuit that I've been building for the really tough missions and I think it would be perfect for this."

Adam nodded, they would need all that they could for this, "I also suggest some of you head to the armoury and take some of the Mark V Enforcer Battle Armour that I have there. Alfred and show you where they are and I highly suggest you use it for this mission."

"Well, you heard the guy." Blink said as she got up from her seat. "We've got a world to save."

**Human resistance HQ, London-**

The Exiles appeared in a flash of light and looked around their surroundings. They all had on full black bodysuits with armoured parts over certain places, like a chest plate, shin and forearm guard as well as equipment backs and combat webbing with extra ammo for their nanoguns.

James was in a suit that looked like War Machine only white and red. It was also modified with the nano-weapons technology. Only the face had on a large black visor and a mouth guard below it.

They were currently what looked like an underground base that they knew was the headquarters of the Human Resistance. It also looked surprisingly clean for a small group of humans that had been dominated by an alien force.

"Weird." Dare sniffed. "I was expecting a welcome party or something."

"I guess we'd better go look for someone in charge." Blink suggested. "Tell them why we're here."

"Not to pooh-pooh your plan or anything." Jono replied slinging his weapon over his shoulder. "But, what makes you think that they'll believe us?"

"I'm an optimist." Blink shrugged. "It's my curse."

Unfortunately, the Exiles didn't get a chance to move anywhere as alarms began to blare all through the compound. _"Intruder alert! Intruder alert! All personnel report to Sector 7-G. Intruder alert!"_

The Exiles got ready for a fight as armed guards spilled out form somewhere and surrounded them. "Stand down.' A gruff voice said. "Lower yer guns, dammit!"

The soldiers reluctantly complied as a grizzled-looking man walked through the crowd. "What the hell are you people doin' here?" Nick Fury, the former Director of SHIELD asked. "You ain't part of the Resistance so who are yer?"

"Perhaps you'd let us explain." Blink replied. "We're the Exiles…"

**Later-**

The Exiles were gathered in the Resistance's briefing room while Blink told them about their mission. The room was filled with surviving heroes that were still in the base as well as a few military personal. "So yer been sent here to help us?" Fury asked. "You'll have ter excuse me if I'm a sceptic."

"I know this is weird but trust me on this, we gave you all a look at our weapons and a data disk that contains their blueprints," Blink told him, "I'm sure that your people can tell you that they are weapons against the Brood."

At that moment Hank Pym, once known as the Avenger Yellow Jacket/Giant-Man/Ant-Man walked in with a cane and lab coat. He had been taken off the active duty roster while he was severally injured in the leg he now needed a cane to walk around with now.

Fury turned to the man that was their chief science expert for the human resistance, "Well?"

Hank nodded, "Their weapons will do exactly what they say."

Fury was taken aback as this was the first time since this started that they had finally a decent weapon. He was afraid that nukes would have to be used but then again there were so many Brood by the time they used enough it would not only kill the aliens but all life on Earth. They tried bio weapons but nothing would work on the alien DNA. "Can you use it to make our own weapons?"

Dr. Pym nodded, "Yes I can but it will take time. We're already making more of these nanobots since they can replicate by themselves from a sample I took of their weapons. They are already making a delivery system for them and I think if we grow enough I can make a type of bomb we can use to planet entire cities, but there's a problem."

Fury sighed he should have known there was one, "Okay what is it?"

"Time. We don't got enough of it, the Brood Queen is making more and more of them all the time."

"So…what if someone takes out the Queen?" Vincent offered to them. Every one of the resistance members looked at him like he just grew another head. "What? I take it she's heavily fortified?"

"Among other things," Captain Britain said. "Did you know who what Queen took over?"

"Who?"

"Jean Grey."

The Exiles just stood there for a moment trying to let that sink in, it was Jono who spoke given he knew what she was capable of doing from all the things he had heard about. "Well…bloody hell."

"Pretty much," Captain Britain said. "She's holed herself up in the Avenger's Mansion when she and most of the X-Men that were turned into those things invaded New York. And that place has some of the best defences around."

"No kidding," Hank said shaking his head, "I know the defences of that place, hell I built some of them. The outside alone is filled with all sorts of weapons both anti-personnel and anti-air."

"Well what if we could get inside another way?" Blink asked him and he asked her what way. Then she created on of her portals and appeared next to him. "Will this work?"

Fury could see that they now had a way to attack the hive directly. They didn't have a teleporter around and he was tempted to just have her send in a nuke but the weapons gave them the ability to turn a few of them back not to mention all the civilians as well. If there was just a chance to take out the queen and turn a few of them back would help things out more then just a bomb. "Alright but I'm not sending you guys in alone."

"Who are you going to send with us?" August asked him leaning back against a wall.

"I'll get a team ready for you," Fury told them all.

Just then a few people walked in through the door, "Hey Fury what's going on? We were ready to go and you pull us off?" They looked to see the mutant Logan and the mercenary Deadpool with them, two of the few people on Earth immune to the Brood thanks to their healing abilities.

Heather however looked at Logan and took her husband's hand. James knew this was going to be hard for his wife. Hell he had been the best man at her first wedding to her first husband Logan. He was happy for them but then the day came that their Logan went out of control and she had to kill him. He had been there for her for all those terrible months as she at times literally cried on his shoulder. He knew that seeing him or at least someone that looked and sounded like his old friend wasn't easy.

It wasn't easy for him too seeing that the last time he had seen Logan he was being buried in the ground. But he knew for her it was worst.

**-In Space-**

The Guardian Adam was on a deserted asteroid or at least it was supposed to be. The giant dome on it proved otherwise. He didn't need a spacesuit, not like he needed to breath when he didn't have to and the cold of space didn't bother him either. He was now looking inside the giant clear dome at the large facility inside of it. There was a Queen laying eggs and they were signs that they had held people.

He used his powers too see into the shadows of the past and saw innocent people being dragged here and forced to bond with the aliens. They would then go into metal pods that were fired by a giant rail gun of some kind. He came back to the present and saw another things in space. It was in front of the cannon and he had a guess as to what it was. It had to be something to make a wormhole or a gateway of some kind. It could fire anywhere but he guessed that it had limited range so far and exited inside the system.

He stood up and looked down at the scene. He should just blow the dome but he sensed life in there that wasn't Brood and he needed to know if they were captives or not. He disappeared as he reappeared in the shadows of the large place out of view of the Brood.

He saw many Brood working in this place and the technology wasn't typical. It was all-metallic like it was made by somebody else. He didn't like the smell of his and picked out something in his travel pouch. It was a small silver handheld weapon that shot out darts. Only there were dimensional transponders and when they hit a person it would activate the transporter at the Complex. This way he could get them out safely and worry about putting them back to where they belong later.

He silently made his way through the facility trying to find the holding pens for how many poor souls were left uninfected. He made his way hearing the hissing and the clattering of the giant alien bugs. He really hated these things; it was species like this that made the biggest problems. Unfortunately he was too preoccupied to notice he was being shadowed until he felt a presence behind him.

A spear of something shot out and he had to jump out and landed…right out into the open and looked too see that not only it had been Scorpion of Weapon X that attacked him. But he saw the other group here as well as all the Brood in the area looking at him hissing.

"Oh this is just great…" He muttered as the aliens started to surround him preparing to either rip him to sheds or to try and infect him later. He stood up and looked around and if he had to guess there were a few hundred of them showing up from doorways and he didn't like this at all.

He sighed looking around at the trouble he was in. "It's never easy…"

* * *

**TO BE CONCLUDED IN CHAPTER 30: PEST CONTROL**

**Well the next chapter will be the last for now folks. But I promise you that R-Man and I will have either one shots or small fics based off of this from time to time but we really needed to end it at some point and this is it.**


	30. Pest Control

**The New Exiles**

**By The Uncanny R-Man and Agent-G**

_**Shout Outs-**_

Episodic: Hey glad to hear from you again, but yep this is ending.

D-M-N-W-T: Hey! I'm glad to hear from you again I thought I lost ya. Mexico huh? No wonder you were out of contact for so long.

Sean Malloy-1: We'll have more stuff on this over time, don't worry, but it's time to end this fic.

Aaron: Yeah well, it had to end at sometime, and I do like to go out with a bang.

Jenskott: Glad you found it so exciting I wanted to end this with a bang and who better then The Brood? If you're sorry for Jean now wait till this chapter.

Silver Warrior: Yeah Sabertooth would be, but he wouldn't work with those two at all. I'm not sure those two will learn about Sinister since they both come from different realities it might not have been him to do it.

Doza: I'm not sure either lol, but yeah this is the last chapter and I like this world I may get back to it at another time. Yeah I can see the Highlander reference lol.

Thanks to: X-Over

* * *

**CHAPTER 30: PEST CONTROL**

**-New York-**

They had taken a flight as close as they could to the old Avenger's mansion and Blink used her powers to take them the rest of the way so they wouldn't task her powers. Besides the Exiles, there was also Logan and Deadpool as well as a squad of troopers with the new modified weapons tech. Currently they were waiting overlooking the mansion looking at the defences.

There were partial brood soldiers walking around, humans/mutants that looked partially alien as well as full formed Brood who had taken over the bodies completely and looked like their true bug-like form. They were mainly trying to see if there was a pattern to their movements. Also given who the Queen Brood had taken over, they all wore psi-blockers to hide their minds from what was once Jean Grey and any other telepath they had taken.

Logan however couldn't help but notice that dark skinned woman from the Exiles kept on looking at him funny. He could feel her eyes on him and it was starting to get annoying, even her husband was looking at him strange. "What?" He finally snapped at them.

"I-I'm sorry," Heather told him looking away, she couldn't help it. He looked, sounded and acted so much like her Logan, her first great love, and her first husband who she had to kill with her bare hands.

James placed a comforting hand on his wife's shoulder. He knew going into a relationship with her that Logan would always be in her heart that a part of her would always love him but this was also hard for him too. Logan had been his friend for years, hell he had been best man at Heather's first wedding. "You have to understand we had a Logan in out reality too…we were very…close to him…he died and well seeing you it's…"

Logan sighed and shook his head, "Yeah fine, whatever." Personally he didn't want to think about this other reality stuff. The fact that there were realities where this didn't happen just made this whole thing worse to him. When the X-Men had been infected he had been force to right…and kill a few of the people that had been his friends. He just hoped that any other Logan out there didn't have to go through that, he doubted he would sleep again for the rest of this life.

Deadpool was getting bored, he wanted to shoot something soon, he wished he could have brought his Gameboy along, he was close to catching all the Pokemon in his game and had really worked up these awesome levels for his favourite ones. So he turned to the dark haired guy with the mullet. "Hey 80's man, so what's the deal with you? You seem pretty calm about all of this stuff then the rest of your crew."

Vincent looked at the red and black costumed man, he already knew the guy was nuts. On their travels they had met a few versions of the Merc-With-A-Mouth and all of them were nuts to some degree, seems like a few things were universal. He just shrugged at his question, "I used to live in a world like this…Only take away the alien bugs and replace them with Sentinels."

"Damn…sucks to be your world. But you guys won right?"

"No…we lost." He said grimly looking in the distance at the building. "Blink also came from a world where Apocalypse took over."

"Jeez and I thought we had it bad, at least with our problem a can of raid can cure." He looked at Blink who was looking at the Avenger's mansion with binoculars. Well mainly he was checking out her ass in the battle suits. "Nice lady though, easy on the eyes, very exotic look, legs that go on for ever and an ass that-"

"Finish that sentence and I'll rip your face off and feed it to you." Mayhem said coldly to him.

"Girlfriend?"

"Yeah."

"Happily dating?"

"Very."

"Into three ways?" Vince turned and glared at him with crimson glowing eyes, "Okay…I'll take that as a no then…how about-"

"All the ladies are spoken for and Dare and April are gay and dating each other," Then he noticed Wade about to ask something, "And no you can't let them take you to gay bars or watch them." He groaned.

"Okay how did you know I was going to ask that?"

Vince sighed, "You live with Morph long enough you get a sense for that kind of stuff."

The others decided to wait till night to make their assault. The regulars would make a distraction while the insertion team went in and took out the Queen.

**-Brood Asteroid-**

Guardian wasn't having a good time either, for the past hour he had been battling the horde of Brood and the Weapon X team. It was taking everything he could use not to get killed. He could have just blown up the facility but he still sensed life in this place and as a Guardian he swore to try and save all innocent life. Unfortunately that usually came to bite him in the ass more then once like now.

He was running down a corridor trying to outrun the Brood chasing him and also to get to where he sensed the life forms. At an interception he jumped and spun in the air dodging a Brood alien coming from the other side attacking low. He used his massive sword to decapitate the other one on the other side. He jumped at hitting the floor spun and fired an energy beam wiping out the Brood that attacked him.

He looked back and ran right into the Grey Hulk and got a punch to the gut sending him to the floor with a nasty pain. He looked up at the smirking Hulk, he knew that this version was a more powerful version of Banner's Id. The dark side of him. "Well little man with a big sword, you compensating for something body?"

Adam just jumped back to his feet, "Get out of my way I don't have time for his."

"Ha! I like to see you try, maggot." He slammed his fist into the floor and threw it actually but Adam was faster and jumped back. Then he planted a foot of the ground and high kicked Hulk in the face staggering the brute back but he didn't finished there. He continued on his assault with punches to the gut and face, ducking and weaving his wave past the Hulk's slower attacks until Guardian with a double punch sent the massive grey monster flying.

"I'm stronger then I look, big man," he grinned that is right before he had to dodge left as bullets flew by where he was.

"Impressive, not many people would have been able to avoid suck an attack," Slade called out to him the leader of Weapon-X. He had with him an M4 assault rifle in his hands in the ready position and crouched low ready for his opponent to come back out. The rifle contained thanks to their 'employers' adamantium tipped rounds and were mystically enhanced. The perfect thing to hurt a Guardian with.

"I really don't have time for this," He muttered to himself. Everywhere he went there were Brood or Weapon-X guys coming out of the woodwork. What was worse was that he felt the last non-Brood captives were being moved. And just his luck it seemed like it was back to that wide-open implantation area. It was the perfect trap for him. He knew they were herding him that way as well. "Oh well, who wants to live forever?" He asked himself as he made a dead run to that area.

Slade heard him running and touched his communicator, "He's heading back to the main room, get ready he's going back there too easily."

Which it was, Adam for intents and purposes had one thing over them all, he knew how to get out of situations like this. After a few thousands years you tend to have the same old stuff happen to you time and time again. So you learned how to turn the odds in your favour. He grabbed a spare teleportation device in his travel pouch. He leaned against a wall with the opening to the large implantation area with a queen in there.

He set the device in his hand for a wide range teleportation. Luckily the Transportation Room at the Complex had excellent security and if a few of the Brood ended up going for the ride? Well they would be smears on the ground in less then a second when the auto defences kicked in. "Well then…go guts no glory as a man once said," Adam muttered to himself.

He moved out in blinding speed, he didn't want them to know just how fast he was so he learned to save a few tricks like this in his hand. You never let your enemy know just what you can fully do, how else can you surprise them? He ducked under that X23 woman who nearly decapitated him with a foot claw.

That Terminator woman, the TX was trying to get him locked on but even her enhanced tracking abilities were too slow.

He saw the group of captives, a wide range of aliens of all sizes and ages. He had to work fast, he threw the extra recall device in the middle of the group of people. There was a few seconds delay then a blinding flash of light and they were gone. "Well that's one problem solved." He said grinning a bullet hit near his foot and he looked around to be surrounded by Weapon X members and Brood aliens.

"Well now I think our 'benefactors' will enjoy the knowledge that you are out of their hair." Slade said as he and the others advance.

"It's nice to be popular," Guardian smiled at them.

"What are you so happy about?" Hulk growled out at him, he wanted a little payback against this little man. No one made a fool out of him like he just had.

"Because my big, grey, psycho… You people no longer have innocent bystanders to protect you against me." He grinned at them as his eyes glowed blue. He was now free to go all out on them and Slade knew his plan now. Take out of the hostages and they were open to any attack he wanted to do. He knew this was too easy with what he read on him.

Guardian's hands glows blue and then looked straight up, Slade knew then what he had planned, "He's going to breach the dome!"

It was too late, a huge blast left his hands and the dome blew outward into the vacuum of space. The air was sucked out into the cold depths as even Brood aliens tried to hold on but many were lifted off the ground into the air and into the space's cold hands of death. The Weapon X members were a bit more lucky and Guardian saw them all touch a device and they flashed.

He should have known they would have their own recall devices. As the air was now gone he looked around. There was no sound as the place was now a tomb for the Brood. He saw the floating bodies and to ensure this didn't happen he was going to send a bomb back here and atomise this place into particle dust. He reached for his own personal recall device and disappeared. He had to get the hostages back home first. He just hoped the Exiles were doing well.

**-Brood Nest, Earth-**

The attack had pretty much gone on as planned, while the troops that came with them attacked from the front Blink teleported the Exiles inside of the old Avenger's HQ. That was pretty much as far as the plan went until the defence systems kicked in as well and any Brood still in the mansion.

It was pure and utter chaos at that point, laser turrets, defence bots of different types, and aliens filled the hallways and the Exiles fought to the best of their abilities. Deadpool, Blink, Vindicator, April and Dare focused on the Brood while the rest dealt with the defences.

"Don't these things ever give up?" Vindicator asked in his battle suit as he fired nano-tech weapons at the alien parasites.

"Nope, they're pretty much like roaches," Wade Wilson said as he back flipped to dodge and attack and fired his weapon at the alien, "They just keep on coming."

April was using her gravity powers to keep the Brood aliens on the ground as she shot them. Some of them seemed to revert back into normal people but when they didn't and turned into a puddle of organic goo her heart sank each time. "How are you doing, babe?" Dare asked as she kicked an alien and shot it.

She turned to answer and then fell back an arrow hitting her in the chest, "April!" Dare cried out and saw a Brood in a purple uniform with a bow and arrow set taking aim at her, "I don't think so!" She ran forward dodging the arrow just barely and fired. The Brood screamed out and as it started to turn human she saw it was the Avenger Hawkeye.

She would be surprised later now she just went to check on her girlfriend, "April honey, are you okay?"

"Yeah," She sat up and pulled the arrow out of her chest armour, "Lucky my suit was able to save me…but that hurt." Dare just hugged her glad she was okay and helped her up they still had work to do.

August wasn't doing too bad at this point she smashed through the drones with her fist and threw them against another, "This is too easy," She cried out in pain as something hit her from behind and looked to see a laser turret training on her. "Okay payback time!" He threw a fireball at it melting the machine and winced as she tried to stand.

"You alright, luv?" Jono asked covering her.

"Not sure…hurts like a bitch. Is it bad?" August asked him.

He looked at her back, there was a scorch mark on her and it looked like it clipped one of the spots were the armour was weakest but he didn't see any blood or anything, "Doesn't look lethal, you sure you can go on?"

She got to her feet, "Yeah…just…let me work through the pain."

They continued on their way through the depths of the mansion. Fighting their way through it all battling Brood the entire way as well as fighting off heroes that they still recognized, some of them they saw would survive the nano-weapons and others weren't so fortunate.

They managed to save Captain America, Falcon, Tigra, Wasp, Spider-Man, and even a few mutants that Logan had heard disappeared not too long ago. They were Storm, Colossus, Feral, Dani Moonstar, Magma, and Warren. There were however others that weren't so lucky. A green skinned one looked to have been She-Hulk as well as Scarlet Witch, Daredevil which hit too close to home for Dare seeing what looked like part of her father turned into an organic mess.

There were also Johnny Storm the Human Torch of the Fantastic Four, as well as a couple of friends of Logan's Rogue and Gambit. But they moved on until they literally blasted through a set of double doors into a large chamber.

It looked like a converted meeting hall but with monitors all around it and sitting there on a makeshift throne with a mane of red hair was the Brood Queen that had once been Jean Grey. The Queen had taken over the mutant's body early on and kept the red hair of her host and her powers, it helped her to keep in touch with her drones. "Well, now it's so nice to see you again Logan, however I don't like your new friends or the weapons they have."

The Queen looked them over and suddenly a powerful TK blast sent them all onto their backs with crushing force, "I don't like it at all, you've somehow found a weapon capable of destroying us and we cannot have that."

Two Brood drones came and picked Logan up and carried him to the Queen as she kept his body in check with her powers, "Let's take that little device off that's blocking your thoughts," She saw it and pulled it off with her powers and then with his mind open she went into smashing through all his mental barriers, "My, my…so that's where you got the weapons…interesting…and I also now know the location of the resistance headquarters."

"Jean…don't…do this…you fought the Phoenix…you got to still be in there…" He told her and she just laughed at his face.

"Please, the Phoenix Force was nothing compared to me and I am Jean, I am everything she was and more so. I have all her thoughts and memories I even saved my loved ones and had a place for them with me." A few Brood stepped forward and Logan looked at them. "Surely you remember Scott, Jubilee, Bishop, Betsy, and Alex. You can join us you know, be one of us again. You can be with me. I know it's what you always wanted." She stroked his cheek with an alien hand.

"You may have her memories…her powers…but not her soul…you're not her and them…they're just empty shells now." Logan growled out and The Queen threw him to the ground hard.

"Pitiful…but it matters not that you are immune to us so you must be exterminated." Then the Queen looked to the others, "But first you all can travel through other realities, that will be most welcome to us. To be able to spread to even more worlds then we can count."

"You won't get anything from us," Blink hissed out even though it felt like she was being crushed.

"And do you think you can stop us? I doubt it."

Blink just smiled as she clenched her hand over her weapon she couldn't live her hand but then she didn't have too. The weapon glowed in her hands and then disappeared, The Brood Queen roared in pain as she clutched her massive chest cavity.

"What have you done?"

"I just teleported my weapon into you!" She said, the pain caused her concentration to break and now they were all one their feet firing their weapons as the Brood tried to defend their Queen but the Queen was dying. Her body was attacking the foreign object in her and had released the nano-tech ammo into her system. The psychic backlash was felt through the Brood collective and the Exiles took this moment to wipe out the other drones.

It hadn't lasted long and soon the room was empty all that was felt was the remains of The Brood. "Alright, the witch is dead! I say it's party time!" Wade said happily but the others weren't in such a good mood they only watched as Logan knelt near the remains of what had been his friends. They all knew loss and that Logan had just lost many of his closest comrades. They didn't envy him and just gave him his space as the grief of what they had to do overcame him.

Logan looked at what was left of them, remembering all the good times and the bad. "I'm sorry…" Was the only thing that he whispered out to them.

**-Complex-**

It had been a day since the whole Brood incident and it seemed that with the new weapons Earth as well as the other worlds 'infected' with Brood would survive. Guardian had given the technology to those other worlds in hope that they would fight off the Brood but the damage had already been done.

Even though as of now Earth was being freed from the Brood the cost was high. Many of the people of the planet couldn't be saved and many died. A lot of the heroes of that Earth were also gone too. They just had been infected for too long and any trace of humanity was long gone. Intellectually they knew that when a person was infected after a certain point that person cease to exist and wasn't 'alive' in a sense anymore.

But still they all couldn't help but feel that this wasn't a success. Everyone was pretty much in a foul mood sitting in garden. It was a beautiful area and the warm sun and very relaxing it also helped them to deal with what happened and that there was still beauty in life.

Blink was cuddling up against Vincent resting her head on his shoulder thinking about it all. She hated it when missions like that showed up in her life. Sure they saved the world but it didn't seem like a victory to her. She knew that at times no matter what they did eventually things like this would happen and that she just had to deal with it.

"Well at least Morph and Rahne are most likely having a good time," Jono said trying to lighten the mood.

"No kidding I bet those two are going at it like jack rabbits," August smiled a little.

"Jealous?" Dare asked her who was cuddled up next to her girlfriend.

"Not at the moment…not in the mood," She told the newest member of the team, "After all that sex is the last thing on my mind."

"I think it's the last on everyone's mind," Blink had to agree with her, even though she and Vincent pretty much shared each other's bed nearly every night they had only been holding each other through the night. They both just needed comfort after something like that, so much death and destruction.

"I think me and James are going to visit home," Heather told everyone, "Guardian gave us all two weeks off and I want to see home again and visit my family there."

Blink nodded her head, "Yeah that's good. I was thinking of visiting TJ and see how she's doing. Then maybe go see Victor and the kids," She looked at her boyfriend, "Wanna visit with me?"

He gave a small smile and kissed her forehead, "Sure thing. Better then spending it here all alone."

"Well I'm going to take April and show her around my home, maybe even meet my parents," Dare spoke up. She and April had talked about it since April had no real family herself. Although she did consider Vince like a brother given the kind of thing they went through. Even if he wasn't her 'real' Vincent it was still nice to have someone familiar in her life.

While the others were thinking about that mission the Cosmic Guardian, Adam was also thinking on things. He was in the Lookout Tower looking over the beautiful area that the Complex was in. He chose this area to build the Complex because of the view here. It was one of true beauty and helped to remind him that despite all the ugliness and evil he saw in life there were still areas untouched by it.

He thought about how he brought this group of Exiles into his fold. So far they had done very well, maybe better then he had hoped but there were still things out there that they would need more strength to face. They still needed to train harder and gain skill that they will need. August would need to overcome her fear of using magic he knew, the universe had a way of exploiting your fears. The others all had personal demons they would need to face and overcome.

All of them still had strengths they didn't know they had as well. There was also the matter of Thunderbird in the special infirmary. He still didn't know why he wouldn't wake up, there were only a few reasons why and none of them good.

There were many more challenges ahead for them all and he just hoped that they were strong enough to face them all when the time came. But now he just wanted them to rest up, after events like that it was best not to push them. He'd let them rest up and when Morph got back from his honeymoon then maybe he'd start them off a little small if he could.

He bent forward on the balcony and sighed. Maybe he should take some time off as well. There were always dangers and evil to fight nothing he did would change that, and he didn't want to burn out. Ever since he broke ties with that old organization he once served he'd pretty much been on his own. Perhaps the future would bring better things for them all…He could only hope.

And sometimes in the end…Hope was all you had.

**THE END**

**Well there it is it's over…for now at least. A few small fics and one-shots and spin-offs can always come from this whenever one of us can come up with. So even though this may be the end it may not be permanent. **


End file.
